Either… or… (不是…就是…)

Structure 不是 + A，就是 + B

不是…就是… (bùshì… jiùshì…) says there are only two options and it’s one of them: "if not A, then B". 他每天不是看书就是看电视 = "every day he either reads or watches TV". It implies there’s nothing else (sometimes with a hint of annoyance).

Examples

他tā每měi天tiān不bù是shì看kàn书shū就jiù是shì看kàn电diàn视shì。
Every day he either reads or watches TV.
周zhōu末mò不bù是shì下xià雨yǔ就jiù是shì刮guā风fēng。
On weekends it either rains or it’s windy.
不bù是shì你nǐ去qù就jiù是shì我wǒ去qù。
Either you go or I go.

This point and the other 370, with audio on every example, inside Wanyu.

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