CGG #75: Expressing Choices (Part 2)
💎 Chinese Grammar Gems #75
Hello Mandarin Enthusiasts! 🌟
It’s July, and vacation vibes are in the air ☀️🌴
This is usually the time when routines slow down, emails quiet down, and if we’re not careful, our Mandarin studies start to drift too.
I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit. Summer hits, motivation dips, and it’s easy to think, “I’ll pick it back up in a few weeks…” But every time I did that, I ended up losing momentum and having to rebuild from scratch.
So now, I treat Mandarin a bit like sunscreen: I pack a little with me wherever I go. Not hours of study, just small, steady steps. A few sentences, a quick review, a short lesson like this one.
And this week’s gem is a perfect summer companion: we’re continuing our look at how to express choices in Mandarin. Whether you’re picking between beach or mountains, staying in or heading out, or, like me, deciding how to celebrate turning 30 this Sunday (!)… this grammar pattern is one you’ll want in your toolkit.
Because no matter where you are or what you’re doing this summer, keeping your Mandarin active, even just a little, makes a big difference over time.
So let’s keep going, one gem at a time. I’ll be right here learning with you.
Ready? Let’s dive in.
💎 This Week’s Gem: Expressing Choices (Part 2) 💎
Last week in CGG #74, we explored the fundamental ways to express choices in Mandarin, from simple contextual choices to the essential 还是 vs. 或者 distinction. You learned how to ask choice questions and describe possibilities with these basic patterns.
Now it’s time to level up! Today we’ll dive into stronger, more emphatic ways to present choices. These patterns express ultimatums, firm “either/or” situations, habitual patterns, and strong preferences. When basic choice expressions aren’t forceful enough, these structures will give your Chinese the decisiveness and emphasis you need!
⚖️ Firm Ultimatums: 要么…，要么…
When you want to present a strong either/or choice with no other options, use 要么 (yàome). This pattern often carries the tone of an ultimatum: “It’s this or that: choose one, and there are no other alternatives.”
要么 emphasizes that only one of the options can happen. Unlike the neutral 或者 we learned last week, 要么 creates a sense of urgency or finality. It’s commonly used for important decisions, commands, or when setting clear boundaries.
You can extend this pattern to multiple options: 要么 A，要么 B，要么 C, but two choices are most common.
📚 Structure: 要么 + [Option A]，要么 + [Option B]
Example
假期要么去海边，要么去爬山，我们总得选一个。
假期 / 要么 / 去 / 海边 / ，/ 要么 / 去 / 爬山 / ，/ 我们 / 总得 / 选 / 一个 / 。
Jiàqī yàome qù hǎibiān, yàome qù páshān, wǒmen zǒngděi xuǎn yī ge.
During the holiday we’ll either go to the beach or go hiking, we have to choose one.
vacation / either / go / seaside / or / go / mountain climbing / we / must / choose / one
The follow-up phrase 我们总得选一个 reinforces the either/or nature of 要么. This structure implies that not choosing either option isn’t acceptable.
🏛️ Literary Either/Or: 或…，或…
For a more formal or literary way to express “either/or,” use the paired 或 (huò) structure. This appears primarily in written Chinese, academic language, news reports, or classical-style expressions.
或…或… often describes different categories or scenarios in parallel, sometimes translating to “some... others...” rather than a strict either/or choice. It has an elegant, elevated tone that you wouldn’t use in casual conversation.
This pattern appears in formal descriptions where the author is categorizing different types of people, situations, or behaviors rather than asking for a specific choice.
📚 Structure: 或 + [Option A]，或 + [Option B]
Example
运动会上，同学们或参加跑步，或参加跳高，十分忙碌。
运动会 / 上 / ，/ 同学们 / 或 / 参加 / 跑步 / ，/ 或 / 参加 / 跳高 / ，/ 十分 / 忙碌 / 。
Yùndònghuì shàng, tóngxuémen huò cānjiā pǎobù, huò cānjiā tiàogāo, shífēn mánglù.
At the sports meet, the students either participated in running events or high jump, and were extremely busy.
sports meet / at / students / or / participate in / running / or / participate in / high jump / very / busy
This sentence paints a formal picture where some students did one activity while others did another. In casual speech, you’d more likely say 有的...有的... (some... others...) or use 或者.
🔄 Habitual Either/Or: 不是…就是…
The pattern 不是 A 就是 B means “if not A, then B,” essentially expressing that it’s always one or the other with no exceptions. This structure describes habitual patterns or recurring situations where only two possibilities exist.
不是...就是... works well for describing someone’s routines, explaining recurring patterns, or speculating about limited possibilities. The tone often suggests a bit of predictability: “It’s always either this or that.”
This pattern differs from 要么 because it describes what typically happens rather than presenting a choice to be made.
📚 Structure: 不是 + [Option A] + 就是 + [Option B]
Example
周末他们不是出去郊游，就是在家休息。
周末 / 他们 / 不是 / 出去 / 郊游 / ，/ 就是 / 在家 / 休息 / 。
Zhōumò tāmen búshì chūqù jiāoyóu, jiùshì zàijiā xiūxi.
On weekends, if they’re not out on an excursion, then they’re resting at home.
weekends / they / if not / go out / outing / then / at home / rest
This describes a predictable pattern: their weekends always involve one of these two activities. The speaker knows their habits well enough to categorize them this way.
💪 Strong Preferences: 宁可/宁愿…，也不…
To express “would rather A than B” when both options might be undesirable, use 宁可 (nìngkě) or 宁愿 (nìngyuàn) with 也不. This pattern shows a strong preference where the speaker chooses what they consider the lesser of two evils.
The structure 宁可/宁愿 A，也不 B emphasizes that while A might not be ideal, B is absolutely to be avoided. This often implies that both choices involve some sacrifice or difficulty.
宁可 and 宁愿 are largely interchangeable in meaning, though 宁愿 might sound slightly more formal or emphatic.
📚 Structure: [Subject] + 宁可/宁愿 + [Action A]，也不 + [Action B]
Example
她宁愿少赚点钱，也不愿违背良心。
她 / 宁愿 / 少 / 赚 / 点 / 钱 / ，/ 也不 / 愿 / 违背 / 良心 / 。
Tā nìngyuàn shǎo zhuàn diǎn qián, yě bù yuàn wéibèi liángxīn.
She would rather earn less money than go against her conscience.
she / would rather / less / earn / some / money / also not / willing / violate / conscience
This example shows a moral choice where earning less money (undesirable) is strongly preferred over compromising one’s principles (absolutely unacceptable). The 也不 emphasizes what she refuses to do.
Curious about your Mandarin mastery?
How many words, characters, or chengyu can you recognize?
📝 Recap
Using 要么...，要么... (yàome...，yàome...): A strong “either/or” structure that presents firm ultimatums with no other alternatives. It creates urgency and finality, perfect for important decisions or setting clear boundaries where only one option can be chosen.
Using 或...，或... (huò...，huò...): A formal and literary way to express “either/or” that appears primarily in written Chinese, academic language, or news reports. It often describes different categories or scenarios in parallel with an elegant, elevated tone.
Using 不是...就是... (búshì...jiùshì...): Expresses “if not A, then B” to describe habitual patterns or recurring situations where only two possibilities exist. It suggests predictability and describes what typically happens rather than presenting a choice to be made.
Using 宁可/宁愿...，也不... (nìngkě/nìngyuàn...，yě bù...): Shows strong preferences when choosing the “lesser of two evils.” This pattern emphasizes that while the first option might not be ideal, the second option is absolutely to be avoided, often involving moral choices or significant sacrifices.
⛏️ Practice Makes Perfect
Now it’s time to put these choice structures into action! Mastering these patterns will help you express strong preferences, ultimatums, and habitual patterns with the decisiveness that native speakers use. Remember, choosing the right structure isn’t just about grammar, it’s about conveying the exact tone and urgency you want. Try translating these sentences and pay attention to how each pattern creates different emotional impacts. Let’s practice!
🌱 Easy
This cat is either eating or sleeping.
For dinner, you can either have rice or noodles, there’s nothing else.
He would rather walk to the store than ask his dad for a ride.
Guangzhou’s weather is either sunny or rainy, cloudy days are rare.
🌳 Advanced
This scientist would rather give up a high-paying position than abandon his research ideals.
Stock market fluctuations are either influenced by international situations or regulated by domestic policies.
Young professionals today either prioritize work-life balance or pursue rapid career advancement.
Ancient Chinese dynasties varied in their governance approaches, either emphasizing Confucian principles or adopting Legalist policies.
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That’s a wrap for today!
This weekend, look out for your PM Translation and PM Comprehension worksheets. They’ll give you the chance to apply what you’ve learned and keep improving your Mandarin skills.
Happy learning,
Pierre 🐼