同志

• Pinyin: tóng zhì
• Hanzi breakdown: 同 = same; 志 = 士 (scholar) + 心 (heart) — aspiration, will

Meaning

Comrade; person with shared ideals; colloquially, a gay person.

Historically used as a formal address in socialist contexts meaning 'comrade' or people sharing political ideals. Since the 1990s, also adopted as a reclaimed term for LGBTQ+ individuals in Chinese-speaking communities. Context determines which meaning applies.

Examples

1. 在革命年代，人们互称同志，不论职位高低。 During the revolutionary era, people called each other comrade regardless of rank.
2. 他向家人出柜后才发现，原来表哥也是同志。 After he came out to his family, he discovered that his cousin was also gay.
3. 老一辈人还习惯用同志来称呼陌生人，年轻人听了总觉得怪怪的。 Older generations still habitually call strangers comrade — young people always find it a bit odd.

Usage Guide

Context: political, LGBTQ+ community, historical

Tone: varies

Do Say

• 革命同志。(Revolutionary comrade.)
• 他是同志。(He's gay.)

Don't Say

• 在不了解对方性取向时随意用'同志'指代 (Don't casually assume someone is gay — ask or let them self-identify)

Origin & History

同 means same, 志 means aspiration or will — people sharing the same ideals or goals.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal