同时 tóngshí at the same time
at the same time; simultaneously
How to remember 同时: 同 same + 时 time = at the same time.
Characters
How it is used
- 'At the same time / simultaneously', and as a connector 'meanwhile / at the same time (also)' - 学习的同时也要休息 (xuéxí de tóngshí yě yào xiūxi) while studying you should also rest.
- Often 与此同时 (yǔ cǐ tóngshí) 'meanwhile' at a sentence start.
- Contrast 一起 (yìqǐ, together, spatially/jointly): 同时 is about temporal co-occurrence or adding a parallel point.
Example sentences
- 他们同时走了。 Tāmen tóngshí zǒu le.They left at the same time.
- 房间里的所有人都同时看了看自己的手表。 Fángjiān lǐ de suǒyǒurén dōu tóngshí kàn le kàn zìjǐ de shǒubiǎo.Everyone in the room checked their watches at the same time.