Explanation 4 讲解 4
Conversation
A: 你觉得绿茶还是红茶好喝？(nǐ jué-de lǜ-chá hái-shì hóng-chá hǎo-hē?) B: 我觉得红茶好喝。(wǒ jué-de hóng-chá hǎo-hē)
A: Do you think green tea or black tea is more delicious? (Do you prefer green tea or black tea?) B: I think green is more delicious.
Explanation: The conjunction 还是(hái shì)
1)
The conjunction 还是 indicates alternative. It’s English equivalent is ‘or ’. The Chinese conjunction 还是 is normally used in interrogative sentences.
For example: 你喝茶还是喝咖啡？ (nĭ hē chá hái-shì hē kā-fēi? /Do you drink tea or coffee?)
The choice is between the objects 茶and 咖啡.
2)
Conjunction 还是 can also be used in an declarative sentence with the implication of uncertainty.
For instance: 我不知道这是牛奶还是豆浆。 (I don’t know whether this is milk or soy milk. )