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或者

huò zhě

Old HSK 3 HSK 3.0 level 3 2-character word

或者 (huò zhě) means "or". It is an HSK 3.0 level 3 word, and was HSK 3 in the old six-level list.

What 或者 means

1. or
2. possibly; maybe; perhaps

How 或者 is used in grammar

或者 is a grammar word. Each link goes to its own section: what it does in that pattern, the structure, three example sentences with pinyin, and the mistake to avoid.

• Choice Questions with 还是 (HSK 1)
• Conjunctions: 或者、不过、但是、而且、如果、虽然、只要 (HSK 2)

The official HSK 3.0 grammar outline lists it at level 3, conjunctions (连接词或者短语).

The characters in 或者

• 或huòmaybe; perhaps; might
• 者zhě(after a verb or adjective) one who (is) ...; (after a noun) person involved in ...; -er

Example sentences

• 你或者我会被选中。
  Nǐ huòzhě wǒ huì bèi xuǎnzhòng.
  You or I will be chosen.
• 他走路或者骑车过来。
  He'll come on foot or by bicycle.
• 要加点牛奶或者糖吗？
  Any milk or sugar?
• 去历史系或者教育系。
  Go to the history department or education department.
• 或者你必须搭这辆公车?
  Or do you have to take the bus?
• 你可以去游泳或者钓鱼。
  You may go swimming or fishing.

Where 或者 is taught

In the GraphChinese course it is part of Connectors, Conjunctions & Key Adverbs (HSK 3), each one a topic in the dependency graph of HSK 1–6 that opens only once its prerequisites are solid.

Go deeper

• Every HSK 3 word, with the rest of its level.
• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read huò zhě correctly.
• Look up another word in the free dictionary.