或 (huò) — (conjunction) or (used to link alternatives); (adverb) perhaps; maybe; might; possibly
Definition
或 (huò) is a slightly more formal 'or' than 或者, and as 'maybe' it reads more like writing than speech — more literary than 也许 and stronger/more bookish than 或许.
conjunction
or (used to link alternatives)
adverb
perhapsmaybemightpossibly
Easily confused
Examples
- 或。Nǐ kě yǐ zuò fēi jī huò huǒ chē qù.You can go by plane or train.
- 。Tā huò xǔ hái bù zhī dào zhè ge wèn tí.He might not know about this problem yet.
- 。Míng tiān huò xǔ huì xià yǔ.It might rain tomorrow.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
員
員yuán或huò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
或 combines 戈, a weapon shape, with 員, which supplies the sound.
Grammar
Appears in
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