或者 (huòzhě) · or

或者 (huòzhě) means “or; perhaps”. It is written with 2 characters: 或 (or) + 者 (person who does sth). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).

How 或者 is built

The characters

或 huò · or

What 或 is made of

戈gē — spear
口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
  - 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
一 — horizontal stroke

Origin hint: To defend yourself 口 with a spear 戈; "or else" (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

者 zhě · person who does sth

What 者 is made of

耂lǎo — old
- 土tǔ — earth
  - 十 — ten
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丿 — falling stroke
日rì — sun; day
- 口kǒu — mouth
  - 冂 — frame
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke

Example sentences

你今天来或者明天来都可以。Nǐ jīntiān lái huòzhě míngtiān lái dōu kěyǐ.You can come today or tomorrow.

我们坐火车或者坐飞机去？Wǒmen zuò huǒchē huòzhě zuò fēijī qù?Shall we go by train or by plane?

Questions about 或者

What does 或者 mean?

或者 (huòzhě) means “or; perhaps”.

How do you pronounce 或者?

或者 is pronounced huòzhě.

Which HSK level is 或者?

或者 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 3.

Related words

Learn 或者 with its group

It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 14: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

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