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March 24, 2026
同学(同學)tóngxué(tong2xue2)
同学 (tóng xué) refers to a fellow student or classmate, someone who studies at the same school as you. This term is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in academic settings, to address peers or to refer to them in conversation.
Frequency#2391DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 同学 is significant as education is highly valued, and relationships with classmates often continue into adulthood, fostering networks that can be beneficial in personal and professional contexts.
Memory Tip
Imagine a classroom where everyone is 'in sync' (同, tóng) in their studies (学, xué). Visualize a group of students working together harmoniously, emphasizing unity in learning. The sound 'tóng' can remind you of 'together', which helps you recall the meaning of classmates or fellow students.
Meanings of 同学
tóngxué(tong2xue2)
1to study at the same school
2fellow student
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 同学
同学Simplified
同學Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2391Frequency Rank
位Measure Word
HSK 2.0L1HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 同学
Podcast: 同学
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AI Study Notes for 同学
Quick Contrast
同伴 (tóngbàn) - use 同学 when specifically referring to classmates in an academic context, while 同伴 is more general for companions or peers in various situations.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a classroom where everyone is 'in sync' (同, tóng) in their studies (学, xué). Visualize a group of students working together harmoniously, emphasizing unity in learning. The sound 'tóng' can remind you of 'together', which helps you recall the meaning of classmates or fellow students.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 同学 with 朋友 (péng yǒu), which means 'friend'. While all 同学 can be friends, not all friends are 同学. Also, remember to use the correct measure words; for example, 一位同学 (yī wèi tóng xué) or 一个同学 (yī gè tóng xué) are both acceptable.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 1 word, 同学 connects with other basic vocabulary related to school and learning, such as 学 (xué) which means 'to study'. Students should practice using the term in sentences to describe their school experiences and relationships.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 同学 is significant as education is highly valued, and relationships with classmates often continue into adulthood, fostering networks that can be beneficial in personal and professional contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up the pronunciation and tone, saying 'tóng xuè' instead of the correct 'tóng xué'. Additionally, some might mistakenly use it to refer to non-classmates, when it should only be used for those studying at the same institution.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 同学
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Grammar Patterns of 同学
同学 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
I have arranged with my classmates for an excursion to the beach.
3
好了, 好了, 同学们, 别这么激动!
hǎo le, , hǎo, le , tóng, xué mén , bié zhè!
Now, now, boys and girls, don't get so excited!
4
你必须确保让那些出身不同学科的人一起共事。
nǐ bì xū què bǎo ràng nà xiē chū shēn bù tóng xué kē de rén yī qǐ gòng shì。
You've got to make sure that people work together across disciplines.
5
学校的老师们很喜欢他，但同学们对他并不待见。
xué xiào de lǎo shī mén hěn xǐ huān tā， ， dàn tóng xué mén duì tā bìng bù dài。
He was a favorite with his schoolmasters but not his schoolmates.
6
他的同学们发现他太爱奉承了。
tā de tóng xué mén fā xiàn tā tài ài fèng chéng le。
His fellow students had found him too ingratiating.
7
我要去看望我的一位老同学.
wǒ yào qù kàn wàng wǒ de yī wèi lǎo tóng xué.
I'm going to call on one of my former classmates.
8
老同学聚会在一起,分外亲热.
lǎo tóng xué jù huì zài yī qǐ, , fēn wài qīn.
The meeting of the old classmates was extremely cordial.
9
说起来我们还是老同学.
shuō qǐ lái wǒ mén huán shì lǎo tóng xué.
As a matter of fact, we are schoolmates.
10
每个人都认识一些利用老同学关系向上爬的人。
měi gè rén dū rèn shí yī xiē lì yòng lǎo tóng xué guān xì xiàng shàng pá de rén。
Everyone knows people who have wormed their way up on old school connections.
Cultural Notes for 同学
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 同学 is significant as education is highly valued, and relationships with classmates often continue into adulthood, fostering networks that can be beneficial in personal and professional contexts.
Frequently Asked Questions about 同学
You can say '我的同学很聪明' (wǒ de tóng xué hěn cōng míng), which means 'My classmate is very smart.'
Yes, it's common to refer to someone you don't know well in a school context as 同学, especially in formal situations.
Yes, 学生 (xué shēng) means 'student' in general, while 同学 specifically refers to classmates or fellow students.
