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March 24, 2026
同情tóngqíng(tong2qing2)
同情 refers to the feeling of compassion or sympathy towards someone's suffering or misfortune. It is commonly used in contexts where one person expresses understanding or shared feelings with another, often in situations of hardship or emotional distress.
Frequency#2780DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, showing 同情 can be a way to build deeper connections and support within the community, often seen during events like funerals or when someone faces illness. It's an important aspect of social harmony and mutual support.
Memory Tip
Think of 同情 as 'together' (同) in 'feeling' (情). Imagine two people standing side by side, sharing a deep emotional connection, like holding hands during a sad movie. The 'tong' sounds like 'together' and 'qing' is like 'feeling' to help you remember the meaning.
Meanings of 同情
tóngqíng(tong2qing2)
1to sympathize with
2sympathy
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About 同情
同情Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2780Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 同情
Podcast: 同情
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AI Study Notes for 同情
Quick Contrast
同情 (tóngqíng) vs 怜悯 (liánmǐn): 同情 emphasizes shared feelings or compassion, while 怜悯 focuses more on pity or sorrow for someone's misfortune.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 同情 as 'together' (同) in 'feeling' (情). Imagine two people standing side by side, sharing a deep emotional connection, like holding hands during a sad movie. The 'tong' sounds like 'together' and 'qing' is like 'feeling' to help you remember the meaning.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 同情 with 赞同 (support or agree), as they convey different sentiments. 同情 is typically used in informal contexts, especially when discussing emotional issues. Common collocations include '得到同情' (to receive sympathy) and '表示同情' (to express sympathy).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 4 word, 同情 connects well with other emotions and feelings vocabulary at this level, such as 快乐 (happiness) and 悲伤 (sadness). Focus on using it in sentences that convey emotional understanding to enhance your conversational skills.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, showing 同情 can be a way to build deeper connections and support within the community, often seen during events like funerals or when someone faces illness. It's an important aspect of social harmony and mutual support.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 同情 when they mean to express agreement, such as saying '我同情你的观点' (I sympathize with your viewpoint), which should actually use 赞同 instead. Always ensure you're addressing emotional contexts with 同情.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 同情
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Grammar Patterns of 同情
同情 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 2 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.
For a moment, Arnold felt a twinge of sympathy for Mr Wilson.
4
那些曾经恋爱不顺利的人都会同情休。
nà xiē zēng jīng liàn ài bù shùn lì de rén dū huì tóng qíng xiū。
Anyone who has been in a troubled relationship will sympathise with Sue.
5
对那小孩讲述的遭遇,老师啧啧地表示同情。
duì nà xiǎo hái jiǎng shù de zāo yù, , lǎo shī zé zé dì biǎo shì tóng。
The teacher clucked sympathetically at the child's story.
6
总统坚持说他如此做是出于同情而不是为了投机。
zǒng tǒng jiān chí shuō tā rú cǐ zuò shì chū yú tóng qíng ér bù shì wéi le tóu jī。
The president insisted that he was acting out of compassion, not opportunism.
7
他想向这家人表示深切的同情。
tā xiǎng xiàng zhè jiā rén biǎo shì shēn qiē de tóng qíng。
He wants to express his deep sympathy to the family.
8
一眼就能看出她很有同情心。
yī yǎn jiù néng kàn chū tā hěn yǒu tóng qíng xīn。
One could tell at a glance that she was a compassionate person.
9
总统对格鲁吉亚人民表示了同情。
zǒng tǒng duì gé lǔ jí yà rén mín biǎo shì le tóng qíng。
The President has offered his sympathy to the Georgian people.
10
用友善和富有同情心的倾听来重拾她的信心。
yòng yǒu shàn hé fù yǒu tóng qíng xīn de qīng tīng lái zhòng shí tā de xìn xīn。
Build her up with kindness and a sympathetic ear.
Cultural Notes for 同情
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, showing 同情 can be a way to build deeper connections and support within the community, often seen during events like funerals or when someone faces illness. It's an important aspect of social harmony and mutual support.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, sympathy may sometimes be perceived as pity, whereas in Chinese culture, it is more about shared emotional experiences and support without a hierarchical distinction.
Frequently Asked Questions about 同情
You can say '我对他的遭遇感到同情' (I feel sympathy for his situation).
Primarily, yes, it is used when discussing hardships or negative emotions, but it can also imply understanding in more neutral contexts.
It is generally more informal; for formal writing, consider using expressions like '表示关心' (to express concern).