或是 (huò shì) — (conjunction) or; connecting two alternatives
Definition
或是 and 或者 both mean 'or' for listing alternatives; 或者 is far more common. 或是 sounds slightly more formal/written. Use 否则 only for 'otherwise / if not' (consequence), not for plain alternatives.
conjunction
orconnecting two alternatives
Examples
- 或是。Míng tiān shì xīng qī yī huò shì xīng qī èr.Tomorrow is Monday or Tuesday.
- 或是。Nǐ kě yǐ zuò fēi jī huò shì huǒ chē qù shàng hǎi.You can take a plane or a train to Shanghai.
- 或是？Zhè jiàn yī fu shì hóng de huò shì lán de?Is this piece of clothing red or blue?
Appears in
Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.