Meaning of 互相
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- each other
- mutually
- mutual
How to use 互相
互相 is an adverb, so it goes right before the verb, often with a plural subject. Example: 我们应该互相帮助。(Wǒmen yīnggāi hùxiāng bāngzhù.) We should help each other.
互 (hù) looks like two hooks locking into each other, a picture of give and take, and 相 (xiāng) means toward one another. Put them together and you get two sides acting on each other: 互相, each other.
Common mistake: Learners often put 互相 at the end of the sentence like English "each other", as in 我们帮助互相. It must come before the verb: 我们互相帮助. Also note 相 is first tone xiāng here, not fourth tone xiàng as in 相机 (xiàngjī).
互相 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
互 hù · mutually · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
相 xiāng · mutual · 9 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Related words
Words that share a character with 互相.
| 相信 | xiāngxìn | to believe; to be convinced; to accept as true |
| 相同 | xiāngtóng | identical; same |
| 相机 | xiàngjī | camera (abbr. for 照相機|照相机[zhao4 xiang4 ji1]); at the opportune moment |
| 照相 | zhàoxiàng | to take a photograph |
| 相当 | xiāngdāng | equivalent to; appropriate |
| 相关 | xiāngguān | related; relevant |
| 相互 | xiānghù | each other; mutual |
| 相似 | xiāngsì | similar; alike |
| 相比 | xiāngbǐ | to compare |
| 互联网 | hùliánwǎng | Internet |
| 相处 | xiāngchǔ | to be in contact (with sb); to associate |
| 相反 | xiāngfǎn | opposite; contrary |
Questions about 互相
What does 互相 mean?
互相 (hùxiāng) means "each other; mutually" and is used as a adverb.
How do you write 互相?
互相 is made of 2 characters: 互 (4 strokes), 相 (9 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 互相 an HSK word?
Yes. 互相 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 互相 and 相互?
They mean the same thing and both can go before verbs. 相互 is a bit more formal and can also go before nouns, as in 相互关系 (mutual relationship), while 互相 is more common before verbs in everyday speech.
Can the subject of 互相 be just one person?
No. 互相 needs at least two people or things doing the action to each other, so the subject is plural, like 他们 or 你和我. A sentence like 我互相学习 is wrong.