<p>An equivalent expression is:
要麽 before each option</p>

<p>要麽吃，要麽走</p>

<p>Either eat or go.</p>

<p>要麽你去，要麽他去，我不能去。</p>

<p>Either you go or he goes; I can't.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-08T03:42:40.453Z
Since 係 is the Cantonese counterpart of 是 in Mandarin, can we just replace 係 with 是 in this structure?  For example, [一係食一係走" --> "一是吃, 一是走"] ;[一係你去 一係佢去" --> "一是你去, 一是他去]
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-08T04:26:46.513Z
Mmm... never heard of "一是...一是..." in Mandarin. This expression seems to be southern - Cantonese "一係...一係...", some Min dialects/languages, such as Hokkien, Taiwanese, Longdu, use "一是...一是...". I am not familiar enough with other language families to know if it's used anywhere else. Perhaps others can chime in.
monalisa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-08T04:39:03.470Z
Which demonstrates that Cantonese isn't just Mandarin with a few interchangeable characters and funky tones...
dda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-08T04:50:14.310Z
一是... 一是... is understandable I think, though it's not used often. I did hear the lines on TV, something like, 一个是生，一个是死， 你自己选择。The same concept here, 一个是吃，一个是走，which offers two options for people to choose from.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-10T02:27:33.490Z
my mandarin friend said you can replace 一係 with 不要. so it would be like 不要吃，不要走
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-10T16:02:21.053Z
不要吃，不要走 = Don't eat; don't go. Maybe your friend meant 要不吃，要不走？
monalisa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-08T02:41:03.453Z
2017-09-08T02:41:03.453Z
monalisa
<p>In Cantonese, you can use 一係 to present two options. For instance, you can say:</p>

<p>"Either eat or go" => 一係食一係走</p>

<p>In Mandarin, someone said 或者 is similar but lacks the same emphasis and force.</p>

<p>In other words, Mandarin speakers wouldn't say 或者吃或者走 </p>

<p>So what's the Mandarin equivalent for 一係?</p>

<mandarin><cantonese>
What is the Mandarin equivalent of Cantonese's 一係 A 一係 B?
# What is the Mandarin equivalent of Cantonese's 一係 A 一係 B?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-09-08)

In Cantonese, you can use 一係 to present two options. For instance, you can say:

"Either eat or go" => 一係食一係走

In Mandarin, someone said 或者 is similar but lacks the same emphasis and force.

In other words, Mandarin speakers wouldn't say 或者吃或者走

So what's the Mandarin equivalent for 一係?

**Tags:** mandarin, cantonese


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-09-08. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

An equivalent expression is:
要麽 before each option

要麽吃，要麽走

Either eat or go.

要麽你去，要麽他去，我不能去。

Either you go or he goes; I can't.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Since 係 is the Cantonese counterpart of 是 in Mandarin, can we just replace 係 with 是 in this structure?  For example, [一係食一係走" --> "一是吃, 一是走"] ;[一係你去 一係佢去" --> "一是你去, 一是他去]  
> **username_1**: Mmm... never heard of "一是...一是..." in Mandarin. This expression seems to be southern - Cantonese "一係...一係...", some Min dialects/languages, such as Hokkien, Taiwanese, Longdu, use "一是...一是...". I am not familiar enough with other language families to know if it's used anywhere else. Perhaps others can chime in.  
> **username_3**: Which demonstrates that Cantonese isn't just Mandarin with a few interchangeable characters and funky tones...  
> **username_4**: 一是... 一是... is understandable I think, though it's not used often. I did hear the lines on TV, something like, 一个是生，一个是死， 你自己选择。The same concept here, 一个是吃，一个是走，which offers two options for people to choose from.  
> **username_0**: my mandarin friend said you can replace 一係 with 不要. so it would be like 不要吃，不要走  
> **username_1**: 不要吃，不要走 = Don't eat; don't go. Maybe your friend meant 要不吃，要不走？  

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