同学 tóngxué classmate
classmate; schoolmate
How to remember 同学: 同 same + 学 learn = classmate.
Characters
How it is used
- A classmate or schoolmate - 我们是大学同学 (wǒmen shì dàxué tóngxué) we were university classmates.
- Also the standard way a teacher addresses a pupil: 这位同学 (zhè wèi tóngxué) 'you, student' - and older strangers may call any young student 同学.
- Not a friend by default; it only marks the study relationship, unlike 朋友 (péngyou).
Example sentences
- 我们是同学。 Wǒmen shì tóngxué.We're classmates.
- 我和她是同学。 Wǒ hé tā shì tóngxué.She and I are schoolmates.
- 我没有一个同学住在这儿附近。 Wǒ méiyǒu yígè tóngxué zhù zài zhèér fùjìn.None of my classmates live near here.
- 你还和你的高中同学保持联系吗？ Nǐ hái hé nǐ de gāozhōngtóngxué bǎochíliánxì ma?Do you keep in contact with your high school classmates?