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Grammar detail: 〜あるいは〜

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JLPT:
〜あるいは〜
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noun
+
あるいは
+
noun
means
(something) or (something else)
DETAILS
カレーライスあるいは
やき
焼
うどんを
た
食
べたいですか。
Would you rather have curry rice or yakiudon to eat?
あるいは is often used to indicate a choice between two things, and suggests there is some weight to the act of choosing - for example, there is a right answer; or there is actually really no choice etc.
あるいは can also be used to start a sentence, meaning "Or ..." or "Perhaps ...":
DETAILS
あるいはそれは
ほんとう
本当
かもしれない。
Perhaps that's true.
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See also:
  • それとも、もしくは、あるいは、または、か - expressing alternatives

Kanji used in this grammar

焼
ショウ   やく to roast, bake, burn   やける to be burnt   
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4
食
ショク   ジキ    food   たべる to eat   くう to eat   
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1
本
ホン   book   もと origin   
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1
当
トウ   あてる    あたる to hit   
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3
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