等同 (děng tóng) — to equate (to consider equal); to be equal to;… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Formal written verb meaning 'to equate' or 'to be equivalent to' — stronger and more abstract than 把 A 看作 B ('regard A as B'), implying true equality rather than a mental comparison.

verb

to equate (to consider equal)to be equal toto be equivalent

Examples

等同。
Wǒ men bù néng bǎ kuài lè hé jīn qián děng tóng qǐ lái.
We cannot equate happiness with money.
等同。
Zhè liǎng gè jié guǒ wán quán děng tóng.
These two results are completely equal.
，等同。
Zài shù xué shàng, zhè ge gōng shì hé nà ge gōng shì shì děng tóng de.
In math, this formula and that formula are equivalent.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

等 (equal) and 同 (same) combine to mean make equal or be equivalent.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

竹寺等

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

寺

寺sì等děng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 竹 shows bamboo strips used for writing and sorting; the bottom 寺 once gave the sound, but now sounds different.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

同 originally drew a pipe. It is the old form of 筒.

Appears in

Abstract Concepts Math

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