抑或 (yì huò) — (literary) or, or else (presenting an alternative); (literary) could it be that …? (rhetorical or speculative question)
Definition
A formal, written conjunction used to introduce alternatives or speculative questions, almost only in literary prose — much rarer than the everyday 还是.
conjunction
(literary) oror else (presenting an alternative)(literary) could it be that …? (rhetorical or speculative question)
Examples
- ，抑或。Zhè ge wèn tí hěn fù zá, yì huò nǐ hái méi xiǎng míng bai.This problem is very complex; or else you haven't fully understood it.
- ，抑或？Tā dào xiàn zài hái méi lái, yì huò chū le shén me shì?He still hasn't arrived; could it be that something happened?
- ，抑或？Wǒ men yīng dāng jì xù děng dài, yì huò gǎi biàn cè lüè?Should we continue waiting, or change our strategy?
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