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同类 (tóng lèi) — (noun) the same kind, the same category; (adjective) similar, of the same type

Definition

同类 stresses belonging to the same category or type, often in classification contexts. Narrower than 相同 ('identical') and more category-focused than 相似 ('resembling but not identical').

noun
the same kindthe same category
adjective
similarof the same type

Examples

  • 同类。
    Zhè liǎng zhǒng dòng wù shǔ yú tóng lèi.
    These two animals belong to the same kind.
  • 同类。
    Zhè jiā diàn mài tóng lèi chǎn pǐn.
    This shop sells similar products.
  • ，同类。
    Tā men de wài biǎo bù tóng, dàn shǔ yú tóng lèi.
    Although their appearances are different, they are of the same type.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

同tóngsame
类lèicategory

同 means same and 类 means category, so 同类 describes things of the same kind.

Characters in this word

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.

Open 同 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 類; 类 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犬犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
頪
頪lèi類lèi
Same sound today

The traditional form 類 pairs 犬, which relates to the meaning, with 頪, which gives the sound. The simplified 类 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 类 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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