Meaning of 同时
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- at the same time; simultaneously
How to use 同时
同时 can describe two actions happening at once, and it can also link ideas like "meanwhile" or "at the same time" in the sense of "also." It often appears as 在……的同时 or simply at the start of a clause. 他一边吃饭，同时看电视。(Tā yìbiān chīfàn, tóngshí kàn diànshì.) He eats and watches TV at the same time.
同 (tóng) means same, and 时 (shí) means time, so 同时 is literally "same time." Picture two clocks showing the exact same hour.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 同时 (tóngshí) with 有时 (yǒushí). 有时 means "sometimes," while 同时 means "at the same time." Also keep both syllables in the second tone: tóng and shí.
同时 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.
同 tóng · like · 6 strokes
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时 shí · o'clock · 7 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 同时.
| 时候 | shíhou | time; length of time |
| 时间 | shíjiān | (concept of) time; (duration of) time |
| 小时 | xiǎoshí | hour |
| 有时 | yǒushí | sometimes; now and then |
| 有时候 | yǒushíhou | sometimes |
| 同学 | tóngxué | to study at the same school; fellow student |
| 当时 | dāngshí | then; at that time |
| 不同 | bù tóng | different; distinct |
| 那时 | nà shí | then; at that time |
| 同样 | tóngyàng | same; equal; similar; similarly; also; too |
| 随时 | suíshí | at any time; at all times; at the right time; whenever necessary |
| 同事 | tóngshì | colleague; co-worker |
Questions about 同时
What does 同时 mean?
同时 (tóngshí) means "at the same time; simultaneously" and is used as a conjunction and noun.
How do you write 同时?
同时 is made of 2 characters: 同 (6 strokes), 时 (7 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 同时 an HSK word?
Yes. 同时 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 同时 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 同时 is written 同時.
What is the difference between 同时 and 一边……一边……?
一边……一边…… is used for one person doing two actions together, like 一边走一边说. 同时 is broader. It can link two subjects, two events, or two ideas, and it also works in formal writing.
Can 同时 mean "also" or "moreover"?
Yes. At the start of a clause it can add a second point, similar to "at the same time" or "moreover" in English. For example, 这个工作很累，同时也很有意思。(Zhège gōngzuò hěn lèi, tóngshí yě hěn yǒu yìsi.) This job is tiring, and at the same time it is interesting.