要么 yàome or
or; either one or the other
How to remember 要么: 要 want + 么 question particle = or.
Characters
How it is used
- Correlative 'either… or…' laying out alternatives - 要么走，要么留 (yàome zǒu, yàome liú) either go or stay.
- Spoken, forceful way to present two (or more) mutually exclusive options; usually paired (要么…要么…).
- A single 要么 can also toss out one option: 要么明天去吧 (yàome míngtiān qù ba) how about we just go tomorrow.