同事 tóngshì — colleague, workmate
tóngshì (second tone, rising)tong2shi4
colleague, workmate
HSK 3· HSK 1–4 (classic)nounMeasure word 位Measure word 个
Meanings
colleague, workmate
Someone you work with — 同 same, 事 affair, the people whose business is yours. It is built exactly like 同学, the people whose studying is yours, and the pair is worth learning together.
noun
Example sentences
- 他是我的同事，我们在一个公司工作。他是我的同事，我們在一個公司工作。Tā (first tone, high and level) shì (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) tóngshì, (second tone, rising) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) gōngsī (first tone, high and level) gōngzuò. (first tone, high and level)···
He is my colleague — we work at the same company.
- 周末我和同事们一起去爬山。週末我和同事們一起去爬山。Zhōumò (first tone, high and level) wǒ (third tone, dipping) hé (second tone, rising) tóngshìmen (second tone, rising) yìqǐ (fourth tone, falling) qù (fourth tone, falling) páshān. (second tone, rising)···
At the weekend I go hiking with my colleagues.
Common mistakes
Not quite我们在一个公司上班，他是我的同学。
Correct我们在一个公司上班，他是我的同事。
同学 shares a classroom, 同事 shares an office. The two words differ by one character and the mistake is easy — but calling a colleague 同学 says you were at school together.