または

While both または and あるいは mean 'or', または is more commonly used in general conversation and writing. あるいは tends to be a bit more formal or literary. Think of it this way: if you're asking a friend, 'Do you want coffee or tea?', または is a good choice. If you're writing a formal document, あるいは might be more appropriate. However, for most learners, または will cover the majority of situations.

Yes, absolutely! It's very common. For example:
コーヒー または 紅茶、どちらがいいですか？ (Coffee or tea, which is better?)

Typically, または is placed between the two options it connects. It functions like the English 'or' in that sense. For example:
りんご または みかん (Apple or orange)

For simple choices, または is almost always fine. However, if you're listing many options, sometimes people might use phrases like 〜とか〜とか (〜toka〜toka) which means '...and things like that' or '...and such'. But for clear, distinct choices, または is your go-to.

No, または primarily means 'or' or 'either...or'. Its function is to present alternatives.

〜か〜か is often used in questions to present choices, like 'Is it A or B?'. For example: 猫ですか、犬ですか？ (Is it a cat, or is it a dog?). または, on the other hand, is a more direct conjunction that connects two nouns, phrases, or clauses as alternatives. You might use it in a statement: 猫または犬を飼っています (I have a cat or a dog).

Yes, または can connect clauses or even full sentences, though it's more common to see it connecting words or phrases within a sentence. When connecting longer clauses, it might feel a bit more formal, but it's grammatically correct.

または is usually written in hiragana. While there is a kanji (又) that can sometimes be used, it's much less common and can have other readings. Stick to または in hiragana for clarity.

You simply place または between the two options. The 'either' part is usually implied by the presence of 'or'. For example:
彼は医者または弁護士だ。(He is either a doctor or a lawyer.)

While it's a very common word, または itself isn't typically part of many fixed idioms. It serves its direct function of connecting alternatives. You'll find it used in a straightforward manner in many different contexts.