Either... Or...: 或是……或是……
或是……或是…… / 或A或B
Present two or more alternatives using the selective compound sentence pattern 或是……或是……
This pattern presents two (or more) alternatives, options, or possibilities. 或是 (or / either) is placed before each option. The shorter form 或A或B omits 是 for conciseness. The speaker is listing choices without necessarily favoring one over the other.
或是 is more formal than 或者. In spoken Chinese, 或者 is far more common. 或是……或是…… can list more than two options. The pattern does not imply a preference — it simply lays out the possibilities. It is commonly found in formal writing, instructions, and analytical prose.
Lesson Targets
Podcast
Podcast: Either... Or...: 或是……或是…… (或是……或是…… / 或A或B)
Listen to Jason & Amy explain the 或是……或是…… / 或A或B pattern
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Understanding 或是……或是…… / 或A或B
The 或是……或是…… pattern (also written as 或A或B in its compressed form) is a formal way to present alternatives or choices in Chinese. Unlike 还是 (which asks for a choice in questions), 或是 presents options in statements without necessarily requiring a decision. It is the equivalent of English "either... or..." or "whether... or..." in declarative sentences. This construction is a hallmark of formal and written Chinese — in casual speech, 或者 is preferred. The pattern is highly versatile: it can present concrete choices (tea or coffee), abstract possibilities (success or failure), or uncertain alternatives (this reason or that). Mastering it allows learners to write more sophisticated, well-structured Chinese prose.
Key Points
- 或是……或是…… presents two or more alternatives in a statement (not a question).
- The shortened form 或A或B drops 是 for conciseness.
- More formal than 或者……或者……, which is the spoken equivalent.
- Does not imply preference — it neutrally lists possibilities.
- Can present more than two options: 或是A，或是B，或是C.
- Commonly found in formal writing, analytical prose, and instructions.
In Chinese formal and academic writing, presenting alternatives clearly and neutrally is considered a sign of objectivity and careful thinking. Using 或是……或是…… shows the writer is considering multiple possibilities rather than jumping to conclusions.
Key Vocabulary
Example Sentences
周末的时候，他或是去图书馆看书，或是去公园散步。
On weekends, he either goes to the library to read or goes to the park for a walk.
我们可以或坐火车或坐飞机去上海。
We can either take the train or take a plane to Shanghai.
Compressed 或A或B form
出现问题时，或是缺乏经验，或是准备不足，总之需要认真反思。
When problems arise, whether due to lack of experience or insufficient preparation, in any case we need to reflect seriously.
每天晚上，她或是练琴，或是画画，或是读小说，从不浪费时间。
Every evening, she either practices piano, paints, or reads novels — she never wastes time.
Three alternatives
面对困难，人们或坚持到底，或半途而废，关键在于意志力。
Facing difficulties, people either persevere to the end or give up halfway — the key lies in willpower.
这个结果或是由于方法不对，或是由于数据不准确。
This result is either due to the wrong method or due to inaccurate data.
Common Mistakes
或是 is used in statements, not questions that ask for a choice. For choice questions, use 还是.
The alternatives presented with 或是 should be meaningful options or possibilities, not contradictory descriptions of the same person.
Practice Exercises
Tips & Tricks
Use 或是……或是…… in written Chinese for formal alternatives. Switch to 或者……或者…… in conversation.
Remember: 或是 is for statements listing possibilities. 还是 is for questions asking someone to choose.
You can list three or more options: 或是A，或是B，或是C.
The compressed form 或A或B sounds more literary and is common in four-character expressions and formal prose.
Homework
Write a formal paragraph analyzing why students might struggle with learning Chinese. Present at least three possible reasons using 或是……或是……或是……, and then conclude with a summary using 总之. Also write two sentences using the compressed 或A或B form.