同时
Traditional: 同時
tóng shí HSK 4

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

他同时做两件事。
Tā tóngshí zuò liǎng jiàn shì.
He does two things at the same time.
我们同时到达。
Wǒmen tóngshí dàodá.
We arrived simultaneously.
同时,我也喜欢音乐。
Tóngshí, wǒ yě xǐhuān yīnyuè.
At the same time, I also like music.
我同时学习中文。
Wǒ tóngshí xuéxí Zhōngwén.
I study Chinese at the same time.
他同时工作。
Tā tóngshí gōngzuò.
He works simultaneously.

💡 Memory Tip

Break it down: '同' means 'same' and '时' means 'time' – together, they literally mean 'same time,' helping recall its meaning of simultaneity. Think of doing two things 'at the same time' to reinforce usage.

📝 Usage Notes

Used in both formal and informal contexts, common in both spoken and written Chinese. It often appears in narratives, instructions, or arguments to link simultaneous actions or to add supplementary information, such as in 'He works and studies at the same time' or 'Moreover, we must consider costs.'

📖 Grammar Points

Often used in structures like 'Subject + 同时 + Verb' to show simultaneous actions, or at the start of a clause to introduce an additional idea. It can connect clauses or sentences, e.g., '她学习,同时工作' (She studies and works at the same time).

🏯 Cultural Notes

No significant cultural nuances; it's a neutral, functional word widely used in daily communication and professional settings without special connotations.

🔄 Similar Words

Similar to '一起' (yīqǐ, 'together' - focuses on joint action in company) and '并且' (bìngqiě, 'and moreover' - adds information without emphasis on time). 同时 specifically highlights time coincidence or adds a parallel point, differing in its dual temporal/logical function.

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