Alternative complex sentence “或者……，或者……”

In Chinese the pattern “或者……，或者……” (huòzhě..., huòzhě...) expresses a choice between two or more options.

The pattern is mostly used in spoken Chinese.

Basic Structure

或者 + option 1，或者 + option 2

Either …, or …

If there are more options:

或者 + option 1，或者 + option 2，或者 + option 3

或者明天去，或者后天去，我给你打电话

Structure

或者明天去 + 或者后天去 either go tomorrow + or go the day after 或者明天去 — either go tomorrow 或者后天去 — or go the day after 我给你打电话 — I'll give you a call

This sentence has two possible options:

明天去 — go tomorrow or 后天去 — go the day after tomorrow

我们或者今天去电影院看电影，或者明天在家看电影

Structure

或者今天去电影院看电影 + 或者明天在家看电影或者今天去电影院看电影 — either go to the cinema today to watch a film 或者明天在家看电影 — or watch a film at home tomorrow

Here too one of two options is chosen.

晚饭你自己选，或者吃中国菜，或者吃日本菜，或者吃泰国菜

Structure

或者吃中国菜 + 或者吃日本菜 + 或者吃泰国菜晚饭你自己选 — choose dinner yourself 或者吃中国菜 — either eat Chinese food 或者吃日本菜 — or Japanese food 或者吃泰国菜 — or Thai food

This sentence has three options.

或者……，或者……

Meaning: a choice of one option among two or more.

Examples:

或者明天去，或者后天去

或者吃中国菜，或者吃日本菜