The structure "要么...要么..." (yàome... yàome...) is a conjunction in Chinese used to express exclusive choices. It highlights a situation where the speaker must choose one option from two or more possibilities, with the implication that only one choice can be made.
Distinction Between 要么...要么... and 或者...或者...
要么...要么...Exclusive Choices: One must choose between the options. Implies mutual exclusivity: Choosing one excludes the others.
或者...或者...Neutral Options: Simply lists possibilities without requiring a choice.
Does not imply exclusivity: More than one option can be valid.
Be sure to check out our Conjunction Collection to catch up on the previous 8 episodes that focused on Coordination Conjunctions. These episodes are packed with insights and real-life examples to help you master their usage.
************************************************************
If our podcast brings value to your life and you'd like to help us continue creating great content, consider becoming a patron for as little as $7 a month. As a patron, you will enjoy:
Your support means the world to us and allows us to keep delivering the content you love. Thank you for considering becoming a part of our community! 💖
- LCTS
************************************************************
Check out our playlists on Spotify
Chinese for Intermediate-Playlist
Chinese for Intermediate High-Playlist