还是 (haishi) — had better — HSK 4

Subj. + 还是 (háishi) + Verb Phrase (+ 吧 (ba))

还是 (hái shì) — had better

HSK 4Adverbs

Subj. + 还是 (háishi) + Verb Phrase (+ 吧 (ba))

HSK 4Adverbs

还是 (hái shì) — had better

Rule structure

还是 (háishi) in suggestions means "had better". It implies a choice after consideration and often softens with 吧 (ba).

Rule structure

还是 (háishi) in suggestions means "had better". It implies a choice after consideration and often softens with 吧 (ba).

Examples

天黑了，你还是回家吧。

Tiān hēi le, nǐ háishì huí jiā ba.

It's dark, you'd better go home.

他还是早点回家吧。

Tā háishì zǎodiǎn huíjiāba.

He had better go home earlier.

你还是休息吧。

Nǐ háishì xiūxi ba.

You'd better rest.

Examples

天黑了，你还是回家吧。

Tiān hēi le, nǐ háishì huí jiā ba.

It's dark, you'd better go home.

他还是早点回家吧。

Tā háishì zǎodiǎn huíjiāba.

He had better go home earlier.

你还是休息吧。

Nǐ háishì xiūxi ba.

You'd better rest.

Practice

Build the sentence

Drag the characters to put them in the correct order

Characters

Words from this rule

还是

háishi

Or; still

吧

(particle expressing suggestion, guess, etc.)

天

tiān

Day; sky

黑

hēi

Black, dark

了

Particle (completed action or change of state)

你

nǐ

You

回

huí

To return

家

jiā

Family, home; measure word for businesses and establishments

他

tā

早

zǎo

Early

点

diǎn

A little, drop; hour, o'clock

休息

xiūxi

To rest, rest

Frequently asked questions

How do you say “had better” in Chinese with 还是?

Use the structure: Subj. + 还是 (háishi) + Verb Phrase (+ 吧 (ba)). For example: 天黑了，你还是回家吧。 — “It's dark, you'd better go home”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

天黑了，你还是回家吧。 — “It's dark, you'd better go home”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 4.

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More HSK 4 grammar rules

原来 — it turns out, originally

Subj. + 原来 (yuánlái) + Predicate

千万 — don't, whatever you do

千万 (qiānwàn) + (别 (bié) / 不 (bù)) + Verb

正好 — just in time, coincidence

Subj. + 正好 (zhènghǎo) + Verb / Adj.

不得不 — have to, forced to

Subj. + 不得不 (bùdébù) + Verb Phrase

也都 — also all

Subj. + 也 (yě) + 都 (dōu) + Verb

究竟 — in the end

究竟 (jiūjìng) + Question word / Question

恐怕 — I'm afraid that...

恐怕 (kǒngpà) + Clause

从来 — never in negative contexts

从来 (cónglái) + 都 (dōu)/也 (yě) + 不 (bù)/没 (méi) + Verb / Adj.