Expressing “either…or” with 或者 huòzhě

Posted on by tiffany

OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 3
Grammar Point · HSK 3

“Or” in Chinese 2 — 或 huò & 或者 huòzhě

In questions, “or” is 还是 háishì. In statements, Chinese uses 或者 huòzhě, or its shorter, more written form 或 huò.

或 huò and 或者 huòzhě or in Chinese

Use 或者 huòzhě when you’re giving options, not asking someone to choose: “You can drink coffee or tea.” You’ll also see 或是 huòshì, which means exactly the same thing.

1Structure

A + 或者 huòzhě + B

Links two options in a statement. A and B can be nouns, verb phrases, or times.

你nǐ可以kěyǐ喝hē咖啡kāfēi或者huòzhě茶chá
You can drink coffee or tea.
周末zhōumò我wǒ常常chángcháng去qù爬山páshān或者huòzhě游泳yóuyǒng
On weekends I often go hiking or swimming.
你nǐ明天míngtiān或者huòzhě后天hòutiān来lái都dōu可以kěyǐ
You can come tomorrow or the day after; either is fine.
打dǎ电话diànhuà或者huòzhě发fā信息xìnxī给gěi我wǒ都dōu行xíng
Calling me or texting me are both fine.

或者 huòzhě A，或者 huòzhě B

Repeating 或者 huòzhě gives “either A or B.” Each 或者 huòzhě goes before its own option.

周末zhōumò我们wǒmen或者huòzhě在zài家jiā看kàn电影diànyǐng，或者huòzhě出去chūqu吃饭chīfàn
This weekend we’ll either watch a movie at home or go out to eat.
或者huòzhě你nǐ去qù，或者huòzhě我wǒ去qù，总zǒng要yào有yǒu人rén去qù
Either you go or I go. Someone has to go.

A + 或 huò + B

或 huò is the short form. It sounds more formal and is common in writing: forms, signs, instructions, and emails.

请qǐng用yòng中文zhōngwén或huò英文Yīngwén回答huídá
Please answer in Chinese or English.
如果rúguǒ有yǒu问题wèntí或huò建议jiànyì，欢迎huānyíng和hé我们wǒmen联系liánxì
If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to contact us.
每měi天tiān吃chī一yí个ge或huò两liǎng个ge苹果píngguǒ对duì身体shēntǐ很hěn好hǎo
Eating one or two apples a day is good for your health.

2或者 huòzhě vs. 还是 háishì

还是 háishì或者 huòzhě / 或 huò
Sentence typeChoice questions: “A or B?”Statements: “A or B (either is fine)”
AnswerPick one optionNo choice needed
Example你要咖啡还是茶？咖啡或者茶都可以。
📌 Two tricky cases

1. Yes/no questions with 吗 ma use 或者 huòzhě. Here you’re offering things, not asking the listener to choose. The answer is “yes” or “no.”

你nǐ想xiǎng喝hē咖啡kāfēi或者huòzhě茶chá吗ma？
Would you like some coffee or tea? (Yes / No)

2. An unknown choice inside a statement uses 还是 háishì. After words like 不知道 bù zhīdào or 不确定 bú quèdìng, the choice is still open, so it’s 还是 háishì, even though the sentence isn’t a question.

我wǒ不bù知道zhīdào他tā是shì今天jīntiān来lái还是háishì明天míngtiān来lái
I don’t know whether he’s coming today or tomorrow.

3Common Mistakes

❌ 你nǐ要yào吃chī饭fàn或者huòzhě面miàn？
✅ 你nǐ要yào吃chī饭fàn还是háishì面miàn？
You want the listener to choose, so this is a choice question. Use 还是 háishì.
❌ 我wǒ不bú确定quèdìng他tā喜欢xǐhuan猫māo或者huòzhě狗gǒu
✅ 我wǒ不bú确定quèdìng他tā喜欢xǐhuan猫māo还是háishì狗gǒu
The choice is still unknown, so 还是 háishì is needed, even inside a statement.
❌ 我wǒ下xià个ge月yuè想xiǎng去qù日本Rìběn还是háishì韩国Hánguó
✅ 我wǒ下xià个ge月yuè想xiǎng去qù日本Rìběn或者huòzhě韩国Hánguó
You’re just stating your options, not asking anyone to choose, so use 或者 huòzhě.

4Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01You can take the bus or the MRT.
你nǐ可以kěyǐ坐zuò公交车gōngjiāochē或者huòzhě地铁dìtiě。
👆 Tap to reveal
02I usually have breakfast at home or at the office.
我wǒ通常tōngcháng在zài家jiā或者huòzhě在zài办公室bàngōngshì吃chī早餐zǎocān。
👆 Tap to reveal
03Do you want to go on Saturday or Sunday?
你nǐ想xiǎng星期六xīngqíliù去qù还是háishì星期天xīngqítiān去qù？
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04Next year I’ll either study in Taiwan or work in Japan.
明年míngnián我wǒ或者huòzhě去qù台湾Táiwān读书dúshū，或者huòzhě去qù日本Rìběn工作gōngzuò。
👆 Tap to reveal
05Please fill in the form with a black or blue pen.
请qǐng用yòng黑色hēisè或huò蓝色lánsè的de笔bǐ填写tiánxiě表格biǎogé。
👆 Tap to reveal
06I don’t know whether she’s a teacher or a student.
我wǒ不bù知道zhīdào她tā是shì老师lǎoshī还是háishì学生xuésheng。
👆 Tap to reveal
07Would you like some water or juice?
你nǐ想xiǎng喝hē水shuǐ或者huòzhě果汁guǒzhī吗ma？
👆 Tap to reveal
08You can send it to me today or tomorrow.
你nǐ今天jīntiān或者huòzhě明天míngtiān寄jì给gěi我wǒ都dōu可以kěyǐ。
👆 Tap to reveal

Related Grammar

→“Or” in Chinese 1 — 还是 háishì(HSK 2) →Had better with 还是 háishì(HSK 2)

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