或

Tap the pinyin to hear it

maybe; perhaps; might; possibly; or

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Ideographic compound (会意字)

To defend yourself 口 with a spear 戈; "or else"

Components 戈口一

or · Heisig RSH #364

口 mouth + floor + fiesta

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
不可或缺	bù kě huò quē	necessary; must have
或然率	huò rán lǜ	probability (math.)
或体	huò tǐ	variant Chinese character; alternative form of a Chinese character
或门	huò mén	OR gate (electronics)
或者	huò zhě	or; possibly; maybe; perhaps
或然	huò rán	probable
间或	jiàn huò	occasionally; now and then
异或	yì huò	(logic, computing) XOR; exclusive or
或多或少	huò duō huò shǎo	more or less
或是	huò shì	or; either one or the other
容或	róng huò	perhaps; maybe; probably
或称	huò chēng	also called; also known as; a.k.a.
设或	shè huò	if
或将	huò jiāng	will perhaps; may (in the future)
或缺	huò quē	to lack; to do without
即或	jí huò	even if; even though
或许	huò xǔ	perhaps; maybe
甚或	shèn huò	so much so that; to the extent that; even
抑或	yì huò	or; could it be that...?
亦或	yì huò	or

These characters use 或 as their sound component — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
或 sound part	huò	or, either, else; maybe, perhaps, possibly
域	yù	area, district, field, land, region; boundary; domain (in taxonomy)
蜮	yù	toad; legendary turtle