同 meaning and stroke order
Like; same; similar
How to write 同, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 同
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- like
- same
- similar
- together
- alike
- with
- used in 胡同[hu2 tong4]
- used in 衚衕|胡同[hu2 tong4]
How 同 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Sharing a common 凡 tongue 口.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 同
同 is built from 凡 wrapped around a 口 (mouth). Picture everyone under one roof speaking with one common mouth, so they all say the same thing.
同 (tóng) means "same" and appears in many everyday words like 同学 (tóngxué, classmate), 同事 (tóngshì, colleague) and 同意 (tóngyì, to agree). It can also mean "with" or "together with" in more formal writing. Example: 我同意你的看法。(Wǒ tóngyì nǐ de kànfǎ.) I agree with your view.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 同 with 问 (wèn, to ask), since both have 口 inside a frame. In 同 the frame is 冂 with a short horizontal stroke above the 口, while 问 uses the door radical 门.
Common words with 同
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 同学 | tóngxué | to study at the same school; fellow student | HSK 1 |
| 不同 | bù tóng | different; distinct | HSK 2 |
| 同样 | tóngyàng | same; equal; similar; similarly; also; too | HSK 2 |
| 同时 | tóngshí | at the same time; simultaneously | HSK 2 |
| 同事 | tóngshì | colleague; co-worker | HSK 2 |
| 相同 | xiāngtóng | identical; same | HSK 2 |
| 同意 | tóngyì | to agree; to consent | HSK 3 |
| 共同 | gòngtóng | common; joint | HSK 3 |
| 同情 | tóngqíng | to sympathize with; sympathy | HSK 4 |
| 合同 | hétóng | contract; agreement | HSK 4 |
| 如同 | rútóng | like; as | HSK 5 |
| 胡同儿 | hútòngr | erhua form of 胡同[hu2 tong4] | HSK 5 |
| 同一 | tóngyī | identical; the same | HSK 6 |
| 一同 | yītóng | together | HSK 6 |
同 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 同
Learning 同 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 同
How many strokes are in 同?
同 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 同 mean?
同 (tóng) means like; same; similar. A common word with it is 同学 (tóngxué), meaning "to study at the same school; fellow student".
How do you pronounce 同?
同 is pronounced tóng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 同?
The radical of 同 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 同 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 同?
The traditional form of 同 is 衕. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 同 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 同 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 同 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 相同 and 一样?
Both mean "the same." 相同 (xiāngtóng) sounds more formal and written, while 一样 (yíyàng) is more common in speech, as in 我们的书一样 (Wǒmen de shū yíyàng), "Our books are the same."
Why is 同 pronounced tòng in 胡同?
In the word 胡同 (hútòng), meaning a narrow lane or alley typical of Beijing, 同 takes the fourth tone tòng. In casual speech it is often said with a neutral tone. This reading is only used in this word.