▎不是 A 就是 B, (bú shì A jiù shì B), if it’s not A, then it’s B

 

Function This construction, when used literally, indicates that either one of the two options offered must be true, and there are no other possibilities. It can also be used for hyperbole when describing a situation, often spoken out of frustration, e.g.,4.

1 我新買的手機不是收不到訊號，就是自動關機，我非拿去門市退換不可。

Wǒ xīn mǎi de shǒujī bú shì shōubúdào xùnhào, jiù shì zìdòng guānjī, wǒ fēi ná qù ménshì tuìhuàn bùkě.

If my new cell phone isn’t having problems getting a signal, it’s shutting itself off. I’m going to take it back to the store and exchange it if it’s the last thing I do.

2 桌上這件外套我想不是小敏的，就是婷婷的。

Zhuō shàng zhè jiàn wàitào wǒ xiǎng bú shì Xiǎomǐn de, jiù shì Tíngtíng de.

I think that the coat on the table is either Xiaomin or Ting Ting’s.

3 放假的時候，他不是上網玩遊戲，就是在家看漫畫，放鬆心情。

Fàngjià de shíhòu, tā bú shì shàngwǎng wán yóuxì, jiù shì zài jiā kàn mànhuà, fàngsōng xīnqíng.

When he’s on break, he’s either online playing games or reading comic books to relax.

4 他整天不是抱怨工作太多，就是抱怨薪水太少，讓人聽得好煩。

Tā zhěng tiān bú shì bàoyuàn gōngzuò tài duō, jiù shì bàoyuàn xīnshuǐ tài shǎo, ràng rén tīng de hǎo fán.

All day long, he’s either complaining that he’s overworked or underpaid. It’s irritating to listen to.

5 暑假，他不是去打工，就是回家照顧爺爺，所以沒時間跟我們玩。

Shǔjià, tā bú shì qù dǎgōng, jiù shì huíjiā zhàogù yéye, suǒyǐ méi shíjiān gēn wǒmen wán.

He didn’t have any time to go out with us during summer vacation. He was either working or at home taking care of his grandfather.