Definition
大同小异 (dà tóng xiǎo yì) means 'mostly the same, differing only in small details' — it acknowledges minor differences. 一模一样 (yī mú yī yàng) is stronger, meaning 'exactly identical, a carbon copy', with no differences at all.
phrase
virtually the samediffering only in minor details
Examples
- 大同小异，。Zhè liǎng kuǎn shǒujī dà tóng xiǎo yì, zhǐshì yánsè bùtóng.These two phone models are virtually the same, just different in color.
- 大同小异，。Tāmen de yìjiàn dà tóng xiǎo yì, zhǐshì biǎodá fāngshì bùtóng.Their opinions are virtually the same, just expressed differently.
- 大同小异，。Zhè liǎng jiā gōngsī dà tóng xiǎo yì, yèwù jīhū yíyàng.These two companies are virtually the same; their business is almost identical.
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