要么

要麼

yàome

conjunction HSK 6 #1,121

Meanings

HSK 1

要么你来，要么我去。

Yàome nǐ lái, yàome wǒ qù.

Either you come here, or I go there.

HSK 2

要么现在做，要么永远别做。

Yàome xiànzài zuò, yàome yǒngyuǎn bié zuò.

Either do it now, or never do it.

HSK 5

想成功，要么付出代价，要么放弃。

Xiǎng chénggōng, yàome fùchū dàijià, yàome fàngqì.

To succeed, either pay the price or give up.

usage

要么...要么... always presents two (or more) options. Unlike 或者 (or), 要么 emphasizes that you must choose one - it's more decisive.

要 yào

么 me