Definitions
(adjective)
same; identical; similar
(preposition)
together; with
Etymology
Depicts a large object (凡) like a shoulder carriage that requires the cooperation of multiple people working together to carry.
About
The character "同" originally depicted a lid fitting over the mouth of a container, conveying the idea of joining or fitting together, with its traditional form maintaining the structural components of 冂 and 口. From this concrete notion of things matching or combining, its meaning extended to more abstract concepts of sameness, similarity, and doing something jointly. Over time, this derived sense of "same" or "together" became its primary and enduring meaning, while the original literal interpretation faded from common use.
Example Sentences Hide
我们同班。
他和我是同乡。
我同意你的看法。
请大家同时开始。
这两个问题性质不同。
他们共同完成了这个项目。
我对他的遭遇深表同情。
经济发展应与环境保护同步。