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  • [huòzhě]
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Collins Chinese-English Dictionary

或者 [huòzhě]
  1. 1. adverb maybe
    再给他发封信,或者会有回音的。
    If you send him another letter, maybe he'll reply.
  2. 2. conjunction or
    周末我或者在家做饭,或者出去吃。
    At the weekend I will either cook at home or go out to eat.
    你先发言,或者他先发言都可以。
    Whether you speak first or he does doesn't really matter.

Comprehensive Chinese-English Dictionary

或者 [huòzhě]
  1. 1. perhaps; maybe;
    快点走,或者还赶得上他。
    Hurry up, we may catch up with him yet.
  2. 2. or; either... or...;alternatively
    请你把这本书交给小王或者小李。
    Please give this book to either Xiao Wang or Xiao Li.
  3. 3. no matter what, how, etc.
    不论大事或者小事,大家都愿意找他商量。
    Everybody likes to consult with him about their problems no matter what kind of problem it is.

Contemporary Standard Chinese Dictionary

或者 [huòzhě]
  1. 1. 或许;也许
    你快进屋看看,或者她还没走。
  2. 2. 连接词、词组或分句。a)表示选择关系
    这个会或者老赵去或者小赵去,都可以。
  3. 3. b)表示几种情况同时发生或交替发生
    许多人在广场上或者照相,或者放风筝,或者散步。
  4. 4. c)表示等同关系
    我们都叫他老李或者李头儿。

Examples

或者把老虎打死,或者被老虎吃掉,二者必居其一。
Either kill the tiger or be killed by him—one way or the other.
这个会或者老赵去或者小赵去,都可以。
常委由代表大会选举或者罢免。
Members of the standing committee are elected and subject to recall by the congress.
请你把这本书交给小王或者小李。
Please give this book to either Xiao Wang or Xiao Li.
那些了不得的作家,谨严入骨,惜墨如金,要把一生的作品,只删存一个或者三四个字。
Some important writers are so strict with themselves, so sparing of ink, that they like to pare down the work of a lifetime to three or four words.
每逢皇帝生日或者其他庆典,诸侯群臣皆要朝贺。
All other countries must come and pay their respect for all emperial birthdays, and celebrations.

Collocations

或者赶得上
may catch up
或者不对
may be incorrect
或者
or
或者……或者……
either…or…
不管……或者……
no matter whether…or…
无论……或者……
no matter whether…or…
或者
him or me
找他或者找我
turn to him or turn to me

Word Decomposition


[huò]
+
[zhě]

nciku Note

Paired conjunctions as Conveyors of alternatives

Paired conjunctions as Conveyors of alternatives

A conjunction is a word or expression that acts as a transition between clauses and phrases in a complex sentence. For example: "不但……而且……" búdàn...érqiě... (not only … but also …), "如果……就……" rúguǒ...jiù... (if… then…), and "总而言之" zǒng'éryánzhī (all in all), where the first clause or phrase is connected to the following clause or phrase by a conjunction.

The paired conjunctions such as "不是……就是……" búshì...jiùshì..., "或者……或者……" huòzhě...huòzhě, "要么……要么……" yàome...yàome..., "是……还是……" shì...háishi indicate alternatives in a complex sentence.
(1) 这本书不是小刘的,就是小王的。
(2) 这本书要么是小刘的,要么是小王的。
(3) 这本书小刘的,还是小王的?
(4) 这本书或者是小刘的,或者是小王的。

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The word 或者 indicates a choice, which can only be used i...


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