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Grammar detail: 〜あるいは〜

〜あるいは〜  or; possibly
141 words
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noun
+
あるいは
+
noun
means
(something) or (something else)
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.
カレーライスあるいは
やき
うどん
べたい
です
Would you rather have curry rice or yakiudon to eat?
あるいは
+
phrase
means
or perhaps (phrase)
あるいは can also be used to start a sentence, meaning "Or ..." or "Perhaps ...". In this situation it is often combined with かもしれまない. The 'or' often refers to something in a previous sentence.
あるいはそれ
ほんとう
本当
かもしれない
Perhaps that's true.
(partial phrase) + あるいは + (partial phrase)
means
perhaps (phrase)
A rarer usage of あるいは also means 'perhaps' or 'possibly', as in the following example. This usage is less likely in everyday language, and conveys something of a literary feel.
あした
明日
あるいは
れる
かもしれない
It may possibly be fine tomorrow.
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Kanji used in this grammar

ショウ   や to roast, bake, burn   やける to be burnt   
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ショク   ジキ    food   たべる to eat   く to eat   
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ホン   book   もと origin   
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トウ   あてる    あたる to hit   
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メイ   ミョウ   あかり light   あかるい bright   あかるむ to brighten   あからむ to become luminous (at dawn)   あきらか obvious   あかす to lay bare   あ to open   あける to empty   
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ニチ   ジツ   sun; day   ひ    -か    
セイ   はれる to clear up   はらす to dispel, to clear away   
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