How to Write 同 (tóng) — Meaning “Same or together”

Imagine a group of friends (represented by the mouth 口) all sitting together under a shared roof (the top part). They are all the same group, so the character reminds you of 'together' or 'same'.

The stroke order is: vertical stroke (left side), horizontal hook (top and right), horizontal line inside, then the bottom mouth: vertical, horizontal fold, and final horizontal. A common mistake is making the top part too narrow or the mouth too large—keep the roof wider than the mouth below.

同 has a roof-like top over a mouth, meaning 'same'. 古 (gǔ, 'ancient') has a horizontal line (十) above a mouth, while 卟 (bǔ) is a rare character with mouth on the left and 卜 on the right. Visually, 同 is enclosed at the top, 古 has a cross above, and 卟 is side-by-side.

同 is a basic HSK 1 character used in common words like 同学 (classmate), 同意 (to agree), and 同时 (at the same time). Culturally, 同 reflects Chinese values of harmony and unity, as in the phrase 共同 (common, together), often used in group settings.

Common words containing 同 include: 同学 (tóng xué) — Classmate; 同意 (tóng yì) — To agree; 同时 (tóng shí) — At the same time or simultaneously.