Usages of ...búshì...jiùshì
春天 的 时候， 这个 城市 不 是 下雨， 就 是 刮风， 所以 我 常常 带 伞 出门。chūntiān de shíhou, zhège chéngshì bú shì xiàyǔ, jiù shì guāfēng, suǒyǐ wǒ chángcháng dài sǎn chūmén.
In spring, this city is either rainy or windy, so I often bring an umbrella when I go out.
秋天 的 周末， 她 不 是 去 公园 散步， 就 是 去 咖啡馆 看书。qiūtiān de zhōumò, tā bú shì qù gōngyuán sànbù, jiù shì qù kāfēiguǎn kànshū.
On autumn weekends, she either goes to the park for a walk or goes to a café to read.
冬天 要是 下雪 了， 她 不 是 坐 地铁， 就 是 早点儿 回家。dōngtiān yàoshi xiàxuě le, tā bú shì zuò dìtiě, jiù shì zǎodiǎnr huíjiā.
If it snows in winter, she either takes the subway or goes home early.
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Mandarin Chinese has four main tones plus a neutral tone. The same syllable can mean completely different things depending on the tone — for example, "mā" (mother), "má" (hemp), "mǎ" (horse), and "mà" (scold). Mastering tones is essential for being understood.
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