または

または is a conjunction meaning "or," used to present alternatives. It is more formal than か and typical of written language, announcements, and official documents.

Writing

Can also be written as 又(また)は, though hiragana is more common.

WAYS TO SAY "OR" IN JAPANESE:

• または: formal, connects nouns or clauses (written/spoken)
• あるいは: formal, similar to または but slightly more literary
• か: casual, versatile (AかB)
• それとも: used in questions offering a choice (Aですか、それともBですか)
• もしくは: very formal, legal/official documents

Usage

• Connects nouns: コーヒーまたは紅茶(こうちゃ)
• Connects clauses: 電話(でんわ)で連絡(れんらく)する、または直接(ちょくせつ)来(く)る
• Does not typically start a sentence in formal writing