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HSK 5 Alternative Complex Sentences: Using 或是……，或是……
The correlative pattern 或是……，或是…… connects two or more possibilities in declarative sentences. It is listed in the HSK Level 5 syllabus under alternative complex sentences and is especially common in written or formal spoken Chinese to describe alternating actions, viable options, or parallel causes.
每到周末，他或是去图书馆查资料，或是在实验室做研究。
Shows a shared subject (他) placed before the first 或是 to describe alternating habitual actions.
× 请问您或是喝茶，或是喝咖啡？
Incorrect: 或是……，或是…… is restricted to declarative statements and cannot be used to ask a direct choice question. Replace it with （是）……，还是…… as shown in the corrected sentence.
Corrected example: 请问您是喝茶，还是喝咖啡？
Read the full explanation and examples
Core Function and Syllabus Scope
In the official HSK Level 5 grammar outline, 或是……，或是…… is classified under complex sentences (复句) as an alternative complex sentence (选择复句). In this category, the speaker or writer presents two or more parallel situations, actions, or explanations without immediately locking into a single choice.
The pattern lays out alternatives rather than directly asking the listener which one is true. It can describe alternating activities, suggested explanations or acceptable methods. Whether the options exclude each other, have equal likelihood or exhaust all possibilities depends on the situation; 或是 does not decide those things on its own.
Sentence Structures and Subject Placement
How you arrange the sentence depends on whether the two options share the same subject. When one person, group, or topic performs both potential actions, place that shared subject at the very beginning before the first 或是. The two parallel predicates then follow.
每到周末，他或是去图书馆查资料，或是在实验室做研究。
Shows a shared subject (他) placed before the first 或是 to describe alternating habitual actions.
这次快递延误，或是因为天气恶劣，或是因为分拣中心人手不足。
或是 introduces two suggested explanations with 因为. The speaker is considering alternatives; the marker itself does not prove either cause or make the assessment unbiased.
When the two alternatives involve different subjects performing different actions, place 或是 before each subject so that it introduces the entire clause. You can also add a concluding clause after the second option, often using 都 (both/all) to show that either route leads to the same outcome.
为了尽快签合同，或是我们派代表过去，或是你们来我们总部面谈。
Because the two clauses have different subjects (我们 and 你们), 或是 is placed at the start of each clause.
报名参加讲座的同学，或是登录校园网填写表格，或是直接去行政楼登记，都可以完成预约。
Illustrates how 或是……，或是…… frequently pairs with a summarizing 都 clause at the end.
Statements vs. Direct Questions
For a direct question asking which option the listener chooses, use 还是: 您是喝茶，还是喝咖啡？ The repeated 或是 pattern normally presents possibilities in a statement. This does not mean 或是 is banned from every sentence containing a question; a speaker can list options and then ask a separate question about them.
× 请问您或是喝茶，或是喝咖啡？
Incorrect: 或是……，或是…… is restricted to declarative statements and cannot be used to ask a direct choice question. Replace it with （是）……，还是…… as shown in the corrected sentence.
Corrected example: 请问您是喝茶，还是喝咖啡？
请问您是喝茶，还是喝咖啡？
Correct replacement using 是……，还是…… for a direct alternative question.
Contrasting 或是 with 或者是, 要么, and 还是
At the HSK 5 level, you already know several ways to say 'or' and 'either... or...'. Choosing the right connector depends on register, exclusivity, and whether you are asking a question:
- 或是……，或是…… vs. 或者是……，或者是……: Both share the same core meaning and appear in declarative sentences. However, 或是 is more concise and leans toward written, narrative, or formal prose, whereas 或者(是) is versatile and much more common in everyday conversation.
- 或是 often presents alternatives descriptively. 要么 often highlights a choice between them and can be forceful, but it need not be an ultimatum. Whether options can both occur or whether another route exists comes from the context, not from a universal inclusive/exclusive distinction between these markers.
- Use 还是 for a direct or embedded question that asks which alternative holds: 我不知道他今天来还是明天来. The mere presence of 不知道 or 讨论 does not require every following “or” to become 还是; first check whether the alternatives actually form a choice question.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use 或是 more than twice in a single sentence?
Yes. In written descriptions, writers sometimes chain three parallel clauses with 或是……，或是……，或是…… to illustrate a wide variety of options or behaviors.
Does 或是……，或是…… sound unnatural in casual daily chat?
No. 或是 is possible in conversation as well as writing. 或者 is another common option, and the repeated form can feel more deliberate or structured than a short single 或者. Choose for the rhythm and purpose of the actual sentence; workplace or formal settings are not requirements.
Is the comma between the two 或是 clauses required?
When 或是……，或是…… connects two full clauses or longer verb phrases in a complex sentence, a comma is standard between them to mark the pause between the two alternatives.
