B2 · Grammar reference · ASGEXR6R
Expressing the only two possibilities
To describe a situation as being one of only two possibilities, you can use the structure "不是⋯⋯就是⋯⋯" (bù shì... jiùshì...), which literally means, "if it's not... it's...."
- Keywords
- 就是 · 不是 · 不 · 就 · 是 · either · or
- Used for
- Giving alternatives · Differentiating
- Classification
- —
Examples (10)
他整天不是打游戏就是睡觉。
他们约会不是去咖啡馆就是去电影院。
我买的衣服不是大就是小，都不能穿。
她穿的衣服不是LV就是Gucci！
不是你就是他干的，别人一点都不知道。
不是哭就是闹，你还能不能好好工作了？
我不是点外卖就是出去吃，我从来不自己做饭。
他不是嫌这不好就是嫌那不好，十分挑剔。
今年一直没有去旅游，不是觉得地方远就是觉得自己累。
这个星期不是今天开会就是明天开会。
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Summary, structure, classification, and adapted sentence examples draw from the AllSet Learning Chinese Grammar Wiki under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; changes were made. This noncommercial reference is based on an October 2023 snapshot.
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