“Or” in Chinese 1 — 还是 háishì

Posted on by tiffany

OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 2
Grammar Point · HSK 2

“Or” in Chinese 1 — 还是 háishì

还是 háishì has a few different meanings. In this article, we look at how it’s used in questions, where it means “or”: you give the listener two (or more) options and ask them to choose.

還是 háishì or in Chinese

A 还是 háishì sentence is already a question, so you don’t need 吗 ma at the end. The listener answers by picking one of the options.

1Structure

Option 1 + 还是 háishì + Option 2 ？

你nǐ爱ài他tā还是háishì我wǒ？
Who do you love, him or me?
你nǐ要yào喝hē咖啡kāfēi还是háishì茶chá？
Do you want coffee or tea?
你nǐ要yào什么shénme时候shíhou去qù超市chāoshì，明天míngtiān下午xiàwǔ还是háishì今天jīntiān晚上wǎnshang？
When do you want to go to the supermarket, tomorrow afternoon or tonight?
你nǐ觉得juéde这zhè个ge网站wǎngzhàn很hěn好hǎo还是háishì非常fēicháng好hǎo？
Do you think this website is good or very good? 😉
你nǐ要yào面包miànbāo还是háishì爱情àiqíng？
Do you want bread or love?
💡 Bread or love?

你要面包还是爱情 nǐ yào miànbāo háishì àiqíng is a well-known Chinese saying. It describes a choice between material comfort (bread) and emotional fulfillment (love).

These days it’s often used playfully, to ask what someone cares about more. For example, if someone can’t decide between buying a new car and going on a romantic trip with their partner, a friend might joke: “Do you want bread or love?”

📌 You’ll hear these every day

还是 háishì questions are everywhere in restaurants, shops, and clinics.

堂食tángshí还是háishì外带wàidài？
To go or for here? (at a restaurant)
这里zhèlǐ还是háishì带走dàizǒu？
For here or to go? (at a restaurant)
你nǐ要yào吃药chīyào还是háishì打针dǎzhēn？
Do you want medicine or an injection? (at a clinic)

(S +) 是 shì + Option 1 + 还是 háishì + Option 2 ？

You can put 是 shì in front of the first option to make the choice clearer. It’s very common when the options are whole actions or times.

你nǐ是shì今天jīntiān去qù还是háishì明天míngtiān去qù？
Are you going today or tomorrow?
他tā是shì你nǐ哥哥gēge还是háishì你nǐ弟弟dìdi？
Is he your older brother or your younger brother?
你nǐ是shì坐zuò公交车gōngjiāochē来lái还是háishì走路zǒulù来lái？
Did you come by bus or on foot?

2Common Mistakes

❌ 你nǐ要yào喝hē咖啡kāfēi还是háishì茶chá吗ma？
✅ 你nǐ要yào喝hē咖啡kāfēi还是háishì茶chá？
A 还是 háishì question is already a question. Adding 吗 ma turns it into a yes/no question, which doesn’t fit, because the listener is supposed to choose.
❌ 我wǒ想xiǎng去qù日本Rìběn还是háishì韩国Hánguó
✅ 我wǒ想xiǎng去qù日本Rìběn或者huòzhě韩国Hánguó
This is a statement, not a question. In statements, “or” is 或者 huòzhě, which you’ll learn in “Or” in Chinese 2.

3Practice

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

01Do you like cats or dogs?
你nǐ喜欢xǐhuan猫māo还是háishì狗gǒu？
👆 Tap to reveal
02Is this yours or his?
这zhè是shì你nǐ的de还是háishì他tā的de？
👆 Tap to reveal
03Do you want rice or noodles?
你nǐ要yào吃chī饭fàn还是háishì面miàn？
👆 Tap to reveal
04Is your birthday in May or June?
你nǐ的de生日shēngrì是shì五月wǔyuè还是háishì六月liùyuè？
👆 Tap to reveal
05Are you a student or a teacher?
你nǐ是shì学生xuésheng还是háishì老师lǎoshī？
👆 Tap to reveal
06Do you want to take a taxi or the MRT?
你nǐ想xiǎng坐zuò出租车chūzūchē还是háishì地铁dìtiě？
👆 Tap to reveal
07Is it hot or cold in Taipei today?
今天jīntiān台北Táiběi热rè还是háishì冷lěng？
👆 Tap to reveal
08Are you leaving now or later?
你nǐ是shì现在xiànzài走zǒu还是háishì等děng一下yíxià再zài走zǒu？
👆 Tap to reveal

Related Grammar

→“Or” in Chinese 2 — 或 huò & 或者 huòzhě(HSK 3) →Had better with 还是 háishì(HSK 2)

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