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要么
  • [yàome]
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Collins Chinese-English Dictionary

要么 [yàome]
  1. 1. conjunction either … or
    你要么学文，要么学理。
    You either study arts or science.

Comprehensive Chinese-English Dictionary

要么 [yàome]
  1. 1. or; either...or...
    赶快给他发个电报，要么挂个长途也行。
    Send him a telegram at once, or call him long-distance.

Contemporary Standard Chinese Dictionary

要么 [yàome]
  1. 1. 连 连接分句，表示在两种或几种情况中加以选择
    要么你去，要么我去，反正得去一个人。
  2. 2. 连 连接分句，用在后边分句前面，表示假设关系，相当于"否则"，常同"的话"配合使用。
    电话里说不清楚，要么你来一趟吧。
  3. 3. 不要写作"要末"。
See more results for 要么 in the English-Chinese Dictionary

Examples

要么坚持到底，要么半途而废，我选择前者。
赶快给他发个电报，要么挂个长途也行。
Send him a telegram at once, or call him long-distance.
电话里说不清楚，要么你来一趟吧。
Either call me tonight or I'll speak to you tomorrow.
要么今晚打电话给我，要么我明天再跟你说。
Matt confronted two choices after graduation, either do a master degree or get a full-time job.
马特面临着两个选择：要么读硕士要么做全职工作。
Put up or shut up.
要么行动要么闭嘴。
We can either eat now or go hungry later.
我们要么现在吃，要么待会挨饿。
She won't talk to them, she'll either just cut them dead or walk off.
她不会和他们谈话，她要么当他们死了，要么自己离开。
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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) 这本书是小刘的，还是小王的？
(4) 这本书或者是小刘的，或者是小王的。

by nciku_edu

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