HSK 3
N1 还是 N2 ?
N1 háishi N2 ?
N1 or N2 ?
Structure
Option A + 还是 + Option B ?
How it works
The word 还是 (háishi) is used to offer choices in a question, equivalent to 'or' in English. It is specifically used in interrogative sentences (questions) to ask a person to choose between two or more options.
Examples
你喜欢苹果还是西瓜？
Nǐ xǐhuān píngguǒ háishi xīguā?
Do you like apples or watermelons?
我们今天去还是明天去？
Wǒmen jīntiān qù háishi míngtiān qù?
Are we going today or tomorrow?
你想喝热的还是冰的？
Nǐ xiǎng hē rè de háishi bīng de?
Do you want to drink something hot or something cold?
Common mistakes
Confusing '还是' (háishi) with '或者' (huòzhě). Use '还是' for questions and '或者' for statements.
Tip
If you see a question mark at the end of the sentence, 99% of the time you should use '还是' for 'or'.
More HSK 3 grammar
See N1 还是 N2 ? in real Chinese
Import an article and tap any sentence using it. The explanation comes back about the sentence in front of you, not a textbook example.
Try InputDojo free