LEARN + CHINESE / 107 of 300 HSK 3
Either You or I Can Pick It Up 不是…就是
You and your sister are both free to collect a parcel, but one of you has to do it. 不是……就是…… presents the two likely possibilities: either she’ll go, or you will. The speaker expects one of them to be true.
不是我去拿快递，就是姐姐去。
bú shì wǒ qù ná kuàidì, jiù shì jiějie qù.
Either I’ll pick up the parcel, or my older sister will.
他周末不是在家休息，就是去公园跑步。
tā zhōumò bú shì zài jiā xiūxi, jiù shì qù gōngyuán pǎobù.
At the weekend, he either rests at home or goes running in the park.
这附近的餐馆不是太贵，就是已经关门了。
zhè fùjìn de cānguǎn bú shì tài guì, jiù shì yǐjīng guānmén le.
The restaurants nearby are either too expensive or already closed.
你不是忘了带钥匙，就是把它放在办公室了。
nǐ bú shì wàng le dài yàoshi, jiù shì bǎ tā fàng zài bàngōngshì le.
You either forgot to bring your keys or left them at the office.
Hint · 힌트
Use 不是 before the first possibility and 就是 before the second. Unlike a neutral question with 还是, this pattern states what the speaker thinks the alternatives are.
Vocabulary
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
bú shì……jiù shì…… | either…or…; one of these must be the case |
kuàidì | parcel delivery; courier |
ná | to take; pick up |
jiějie | older sister |
zhōumò | weekend |
zài jiā | at home |
xiūxi | to rest |
gōngyuán | park |
pǎobù | to run; go jogging |
fùjìn | nearby |
cānguǎn | restaurant |
tài guì | too expensive |
guānmén | to close; shut up shop |
wàng le | forgot |
dài | to bring; carry |
yàoshi | key |
fàng zài | to leave; put at |
bàngōngshì | office |
kěnéng | possibly; possible |
xuǎnzé | to choose; choice |
YOUR PROGRESS
Finished this lesson?
Save your place in this course.