同

• Pinyin: tóng
• Hanzi breakdown: 同 = 冂 (enclosure) + 口 (mouth) + 一 — people under one roof speaking as one

Meaning

Same; together with; identical. As a preposition: with, together with.

Expresses similarity, togetherness, or shared identity. As an adjective, it means same or identical. As a preposition, it's a more formal alternative to 和 or 跟. Appears in countless compounds: 同意 (agree), 同事 (colleague), 相同 (identical), 同时 (simultaneously). Very common in formal and written Chinese.

Examples

1. 我同你的看法完全一致，这个方案确实可行。 My view is completely aligned with yours; this proposal is indeed feasible.
2. 他们两人年龄相同，性格却截然不同。 The two of them are the same age, but their personalities are completely different.
3. 同以往相比，今年的销售额有了显著增长。 Compared with previous years, this year's sales have shown significant growth.

Usage Guide

Context: comparisons, agreements, formal writing

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我同你一起去吧。(Let me go together with you.)
• 这同我想的一样。(This is the same as what I thought.)

Don't Say

• 我同朋友玩。(Too formal for casual speech — use 和 or 跟 with friends)

Origin & History

Depicts people gathering around the same place or thing, symbolizing togetherness and sameness. The top component suggests a covering or unifying element.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal