<p>They are the same thing if you mean &quot;or&quot; in my region(Taiwan)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-25T13:13:01.200Z
2024-10-25T13:13:01.200Z
知識日常 Know Scratcher
<p>或者 = 也许, &quot;maybe&quot;; &quot;perhaps&quot;</p>
<p>或<strong>是</strong> = 或许；也许<strong>是</strong> = 或者<strong>是</strong>, &quot;or&quot;; <strong>&quot;one or the other&quot;</strong></p>
<p>还是, nevertheless; still; <strong>or</strong></p>
<p>还是 has broader uses, see <a href="https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E8%BF%98%E6%98%AF" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E8%BF%98%E6%98%AF</a> for more info.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-14T19:17:07.633Z
2023-08-14T19:17:07.633Z
r13
<p>Yes, these can all mean &quot;or.&quot; However, some can take on other meanings.</p>
<p>或：As a native speaker, my intuition tells me that this word is more formal as it is more concise (less characters used), so I would associate it with academic writing. Means &quot;or;&quot; can also mean &quot;perhaps&quot; or &quot;maybe.&quot;</p>
<p>或者：This is definitely the most common way to say it, at least in mainland China. Means &quot;or;&quot; can also mean &quot;perhaps&quot; or &quot;maybe.&quot;</p>
<p>或是/或者是：I would say that these are slightly more formal than 或者，but less formal than 或. Means &quot;or;&quot; can also mean &quot;perhaps&quot; or &quot;maybe.&quot;</p>
<p>还是：Means &quot;or;&quot; this can also mean &quot;nevertheless&quot; or &quot;yet&quot; (synonym with 仍然/依旧). I would rank this as rather informal.</p>
<p>Thus, in order from most to least formal: 或；或是/或者是；或者；还是。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-22T12:25:10.570Z
2024-05-22T12:25:37.797Z
2024-05-22T12:25:37.797Z
Donald Wen
<p>In the following dialogues, when A uses 还是, it presses B to choose an item more than he uses 或者.</p>
<p>(1) A: 你想买40号的鞋呢，还是买42号的？B: 我买42号的吧。</p>
<p>(2) A: 你买40号的吧,或者42号的？B: 那个号码都可以。</p>
<p>(3) 你想死还是想活？(威胁的口气) Do you want to die or live?</p>
<p>But in Chinese, you would never say, 你想死或者想活？</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-19T14:30:53.397Z
2024-10-19T14:38:12.710Z
2024-10-19T14:38:12.710Z
PdotWang
<p>What is the difference between those three words?  I've been trying to find the answer, but some says they are all the same, some that 或者 is more formal, and some (but i think that person was a cantonese native speaker) that 或是 is more formal.
I know that 或者 is used in statements (vs. 还是), the other two are also used in statements or can be used in questions, too?</p>
<p>So they all mean &quot;or&quot;? And if so, are some more/less formal?</p>

<word-choice><vocabulary>
或(者)，或是 and 或者是 difference?
# 或(者)，或是 and 或者是 difference?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-08-14)

What is the difference between those three words? I've been trying to find the answer, but some says they are all the same, some that 或者 is more formal, and some (but i think that person was a cantonese native speaker) that 或是 is more formal.
I know that 或者 is used in statements (vs. 还是), the other two are also used in statements or can be used in questions, too?

So they all mean "or"? And if so, are some more/less formal?

**Tags:** word-choice, vocabulary

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-10-25. Score: 0

They are the same thing if you mean "or" in my region(Taiwan)


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### Answer by username_2 on 2023-08-14. Score: 0

或者 = 也许, "maybe"; "perhaps"

或**是** = 或许；也许**是** = 或者**是**, "or"; **"one or the other"**

还是, nevertheless; still; **or**

还是 has broader uses, see <https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E8%BF%98%E6%98%AF> for more info.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2024-05-22. Score: 0

Yes, these can all mean "or." However, some can take on other meanings.

或：As a native speaker, my intuition tells me that this word is more formal as it is more concise (less characters used), so I would associate it with academic writing. Means "or;" can also mean "perhaps" or "maybe."

或者：This is definitely the most common way to say it, at least in mainland China. Means "or;" can also mean "perhaps" or "maybe."

或是/或者是：I would say that these are slightly more formal than 或者，but less formal than 或. Means "or;" can also mean "perhaps" or "maybe."

还是：Means "or;" this can also mean "nevertheless" or "yet" (synonym with 仍然/依旧). I would rank this as rather informal.

Thus, in order from most to least formal: 或；或是/或者是；或者；还是。


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### Answer by username_4 on 2024-10-19. Score: 0

In the following dialogues, when A uses 还是, it presses B to choose an item more than he uses 或者.

(1) A: 你想买40号的鞋呢，还是买42号的？B: 我买42号的吧。

(2) A: 你买40号的吧,或者42号的？B: 那个号码都可以。

(3) 你想死还是想活？(威胁的口气) Do you want to die or live?

But in Chinese, you would never say, 你想死或者想活？


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