adv., conj.
or (in questions); still; had better
还是
or (in questions); still; had better
Conjunction for choice questions ('A or B?') or adverb meaning 'still / had better' (还 still + 是 to be); say 你喝咖啡还是茶?
Common Usage & Traps
- A 还是 B — A or B, used in a real choice question
- 还是...吧 — let's just...; had better...
- 还是别... — better not...
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你喜欢老电影还是新电影吗？你喜欢老电影还是新电影？还是 already makes an alternative question; 吗 is for yes/no questions, so they clash.
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还是你喜欢老电影还是新电影？你喜欢老电影还是新电影？还是 sits between the two options, not at the start.
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你喜欢老电影还是新电影？是的。我喜欢老电影。还是 questions ask you to choose, not to confirm with 是/不是.
Can you answer 你喜欢看老电影还是新电影？
No—还是 questions ask you to pick A or B, not to confirm with 是/不是.
A 还是 question is an either-or choice. The answer should be one option, like 老电影 or 新电影. Saying 是 or 不是 answers a yes/no question, which this is not. If you want to confirm, you need a different question with 吗.
“Ａ：你喜欢看老电影还是新电影？ ” (A: Do you like watching old movies or new movies?)
“Ａ：你喜欢看老电影还是新电影？ ” (A: Do you like watching old movies or new movies?)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Question type | A 还是 B choice | Yes/no question |
| Expected answer | 老电影 / 新电影 | 是 / 不是 |
| Example | 你喜欢老电影还是新电影？ | 你喜欢老电影吗？ |
Can you use 还是 in a normal statement to mean 'or'?
No—还是 means 'or' mainly in questions; in statements it usually sounds wrong.
In a statement like 'I want tea or coffee', Chinese does not use 还是. It uses 或者, which is the 'or' for statements. 还是 is for real choice questions. If you use 还是 in a plain statement, native speakers hear a question trying to break out.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Sentence type | Question: 你喝茶还是咖啡？ | Statement: 我喝茶还是咖啡。 |
| Word for 'or' | 还是 | 或者 |
| Native feel | Asks you to choose | Lists options |
Does 还是 always mean 'or'?
No—还是 can also push a suggestion, like 'let's just' or 'had better'.
In 我们还是打车吧, 还是 does not mean 'or'. It softens the choice and means 'let's just take a taxi'. The pattern is 还是 + verb + 吧. It often shows after some thought, you settle on a plan. Without 吧, it can feel less friendly or less final.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Or | Let's just / had better |
| Pattern | A 还是 B | 还是 + verb + 吧 |
| Example | 你喝咖啡还是茶？ | 我们还是打车吧。 |
| Answer type | Choose A or B | Suggest a shared action |
Can you add 吗 to a 还是 question?
No—还是 already asks the question, so 吗 is redundant and wrong.
吗 turns a statement into a yes/no question. 还是 already turns two options into a choice question. You cannot stack both in the same sentence. Keep 吗 for questions like 你喜欢老电影吗？ Keep 还是 for A-还是-B choices.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Question type | A 还是 B | Statement + 吗 |
| Question word | 还是 | 吗 |
| Example | 你喝茶还是咖啡？ | 你喝茶吗？ |
| Answer | Pick one option | Yes or no |
Appears in Stories 3 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Think instant noodles are unhealthy? This HSK 6 article challenges common myths and reveals surprising facts about nutrition, oil, and salt in this convenient food.
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但是事实上：无论是使用热风干燥 还是 通过油炸干燥，方便面中的水分含量都很低，一般都低于2%。
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是咸 还是 淡，人们可以自己控制。
In this dialogue, two people chat while waiting outside a cinema. You'll hear common phrases for talking about hobbies, sports, and movie preferences.
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😄Ａ：你喜欢看老电影 还是 新电影？
Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.
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可现在的茶馆虽然 还是 可以喝茶，但是去那儿的人大多不是老北京。
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这 还是 茶馆儿吗？
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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