Definition
同期 (tóng qī) is a noun meaning 'the same period' — it compares time spans across different years (e.g., same quarter) or events happening at the same time. Unlike 同步 (tóng bù 'synchronize', a verb for actions staying in step) or 平行 (píng xíng 'parallel', for things that run alongside without meeting), 同期 focuses on calendar or temporal alignment.
noun
the same period (in a different year, e.g., same quarter or month)the same time (for events happening concurrently)
Easily confused
- 后期hòu qīlook-alikelater stage, later period (of a process, project, or condition)
Examples
- 同期15%。Jīnnián dì yī jìdù de xiāoshòu'é bǐ tóng qī zēngzhǎng le bǎi fēn zhī shíwǔ.Sales in the first quarter of this year increased by 15% compared to the same period last year.
- 同期，。Liǎng gè huìyì tóng qī jǔxíng, wǒ zhǐ néng cānjiā yí gè.The two meetings are held concurrently, so I can only attend one.
- 同期，。Tāmen shì dàxué tóng qī, bìyè hòu jìn le tóng yī jiā gōngsī.They were in the same graduating class at university and joined the same company after graduation.
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