Discussion of 还是/還是 [hái shi] or (used when the speaker does not know which one it is)

Discussion of 还是/還是

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Someone told me the word can mean still....is it true?

Shīya3

Hi there! Yes that is right! Accordingly we have two entries of 还是 in the trainchinese dictionary. It can be an adverb or a conjunction:
- 还是 / 還是 [hai2 shi5] , (adv) still
- 还是 / 還是 [hai2 shi5] , (conj) or (used when the speaker does not know which one it is)

lisaC

Thanks!

Shīya3

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"(是)…还是…？" is usually used to form alternative questions. 还是 is used before the alternative elements, which can be the subject (Example 1), the predicate (Example 2 & 3), the adverbial adjunct of time (Example 4), etc. Please note that the first 是 can often be omitted.
Example 1. 是你说了算，还是他说了算？ [phr] Do you have the final say or does he have the final say?
Example 2. 你是去德国，还是去法国？ [phr] Are you going to Germany, or are you going to France?
Example 3. 你的狗是公的，还是母的？ [phr] Is your dog a he or a she?
Example 4.你儿子是今年还是明年上大学？ [phr] Your son goes to college this year or next year?

lisaC

How is 还是 (háishì) used in different contexts?

个学生

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What are the situations in which I should use 还是 (háishì) instead of other words?

个学生

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还是 is used when the speaker is unsure of which option to choose between two or more possibilities. It is used to express uncertainty or indecision. For example, when asking a question, one might say "你想去哪里？北京还是上海？" (Nǐ xiǎng qù nǎlǐ? Běijīng háishì Shànghǎi?). In this sentence, the speaker is asking the listener to choose between Beijing and Shanghai.

当老师

To answer to 个学生 you need to register at trainchinese.com

In Chinese, both 还是 (háishì) and 或 (huò) can be used to express "or," but they are used in slightly different contexts and have nuanced differences in meaning and usage:

1.还是 (háishì) is used when presenting a choice between two or more alternatives. It is typically used in questions or conditional sentences to ask someone to make a choice or to suggest alternatives. 还是 implies that the speaker expects the listener to choose one of the options presented.
Example:你要茶还是咖啡？ (Nǐ yào chá háishì kāfēi?) - Do you want tea or coffee?

2. 或 (huò) is a more general word for "or" and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It can be used to present a choice between alternatives, similar to 还是, but it can also be used to express possibilities or options without implying a specific expectation of choice.
Example: 你可以选择茶或者咖啡。 (Nǐ kěyǐ xuǎnzé chá huòzhě kāfēi.) - You can choose tea or coffee. (No specific expectation of choice)

In summary, 还是 is often used when asking for a choice or making suggestions with an expectation of a decision, while 或 is a more general term for "or" that can be used to present options without necessarily implying a choice. The choice between them depends on the context and the speaker's intention.

lisaC

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