Decoded Slug: 还是 (háishì) - Or (in questions), still
Mandarin Grammar Point
还是 (háishì) - Or (in questions), still
还是 (háishì) - Or (in questions), still
Short explanation:
Used to express a choice between two alternatives in questions, or to indicate continuation of a state up to a certain point.
Formation:
For 'Or' usage: Subject + Option A + 还是 + Option B?, For 'Still' usage: Subject + Time + 还是 + Verb/Adjective + Rest of the sentence
Examples:
你要喝咖啡还是茶？我要喝茶。
Nǐ yào hē kāfēi háishì chá? Wǒ yào hē chá.
Do you want to drink coffee or tea? I want to drink tea.
你还是喜欢吃苹果吗？是的，我还是很喜欢。
Nǐ háishì xǐhuān chī píngguǒ ma? Shì de, wǒ háishì hěn xǐhuān.
Do you still like to eat apples? Yes, I still really like them.
你去购物还是去看电影？我去看电影。
Nǐ qù gòuwù háishì qù kàn diànyǐng? Wǒ qù kàn diànyǐng.
Are you going shopping or to see a movie? I am going to see a movie.
她还是在家等你呢，你怎么还不走？
Tā háishì zài jiā děng nǐ ne, nǐ zěnme hái bù zǒu?
She is still waiting for you at home, why don't you go yet?
Long explanation:
In Mandarin Chinese, '还是 (háishì)' is a conjunction serving dual functions. Firstly, it is used to present two options or alternatives in a question, similar to 'or' in English. On the other hand, it can denote the continuity of an action or a state, conveying the meaning of 'still' in English. It's important to identify which context '还是 (háishì)' is used in by its position in the sentence and other surrounding words.