Sentence PatternsHSK 5
Expressing the only two possibilities
The pattern 不是…就是… is used to express that there are only two possibilities, often with a tone of dissatisfaction or inevitability. It can be translated as 'if it's not A, then it's B' or 'either A or B'. Common mistake: don't mix it up with 不是…而是…, which means 'not A, but B'.
Structure
不是 + A + 就是 + B
A and B can be verbs, adjectives, or nouns
Examples
- 他整天不是打游戏就是睡觉。Tā zhěng tiān bù shì dǎ yóuxì jiùshì shuìjiào.If he's not playing video games all day, he's sleeping.
- 我买的衣服不是大就是小，都不能穿。Wǒ mǎi de yīfu bù shì dà jiùshì xiǎo, dōu bù néng chuān.The clothes that I bought are always either too big or too small. I can't wear any of them.
- 不是你就是他干的，别人一点都不知道。Bù shì nǐ jiùshì tā gàn de, biérén yīdiǎn dōu bù zhīdào.Either you did it or he did it. No one else knows anything about it.
- 我不是点外卖就是出去吃，我从来不自己做饭。Wǒ bù shì diǎn wàimài jiùshì chūqù chī, wǒ cónglái bù zìjǐ zuòfàn.I either order take-away food or go out to eat. I never cook for myself.
- 他不是嫌这不好就是嫌那不好，十分挑剔。Tā bù shì xián zhè bùhǎo jiùshì xián nà bùhǎo, shífēn tiāoti.He either dislikes this or dislikes that. He is super picky.