Offering choices with "haishi"

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还是 (háishì) is used in Chinese to provide options in a question. This is equivalent to one use of "or" in English.

Simplest Form

Structure

Option A + 还是 + Option B ?

When you're asked a question of this form, there are two ways you're expected to answer: either Option A or Option B. (Pick one, but not both.) It's not that no other answers are possible, it's that usually when you're asked a question this way, the person asking expects you to just choose one. For example, if asked if you'd like to drink coffee or tea, most people are going to choose one or the other, not ask for both. 还是 is used to ask people to make that choice between the two.

Examples

  • 还是 Me or him?
  • 上海 还是 北京(The eternal China expat question! Choose wisely...)Shanghai or Beijing?
  • 啤酒 还是 葡萄酒Beer or wine?
  • 还是 咖啡Tea or coffee?
  • 一 个 还是 两 个One or two?


Full Sentence Form

Structure

You can take the structure above, add a subject and a verb, and create all kinds of questions with the following structure:

Subject + Verb + Option A + 还是 + Option B ?

Examples

  • 你 要 还是 咖啡Do you want tea or coffee?
  • 你 要 一 个 还是 两 个Do you want one or two?
  • 你 是 美国 人 还是 英国 人Are you American or English?
  • 他 是 医生 还是 老师Is he a doctor or a teacher?
  • 你 喜欢 啤酒 还是 葡萄酒Do you like beer or wine?
  • 你 喜欢 上海 还是 北京Do you like Shanghai or Beijing?
  • 你 喜欢 还是 我 的 钱Do you like me or my money?
  • 你 想 吃 中国 菜 还是 法国 菜Do you want to eat Chinese food or French food?
  • 你 想 去 香港 还是 泰国Do you want to go to HongKong or Thailand?
  • 这 是 还是 Is this water or wine?
  • 你 会 说 普通话 还是 广东话(The expected answer is one or the other, not "both")Can you speak Mandarin or Cantonese?
  • 你 家 有 小狗 还是 小猫(The expected answer is one or the other, not "both")Do you have a puppy or a kitten in your house?

Please note that 还是 is for offering options in a question. It should not be used for "or" in statements (see below).

See also

Sources and Further Reading

Books

Websites