Usage note
同时表示一起发生。
tóng shí biǎo shì yì qǐ fā shēng。
At the same time means happening together.
Context note
同时常用于描述两个动作或情况。
tóng shí cháng yòng yú miáo shù liǎng gè dòng zuò huò qíng kuàng。
At the same time often describes two actions or situations.
5 examples
他同时学英语和中文。
tā tóng shí xué yīng yǔ hé zhōng wén。
He studies English and Chinese at the same time.
大家同时说话。
dà jiā tóng shí shuō huà。
Everyone speaks at the same time.
这两个事情可以同时做。
zhè liǎng gè shì qíng kě yǐ tóng shí zuò。
These two things can be done at the same time.
我同时看书和听音乐。
wǒ tóng shí kàn shū hé tīng yīn yuè。
I read and listen to music at the same time.
他们同时到了。
tā men tóng shí dào le。
They arrived at the same time.
5 mini stories
他同时做两件事。
tā tóng shí zuò liǎng jiàn shì。
He does two things at the same time.
老师让我们同时看黑板和课本。
lǎo shī ràng wǒ men tóng shí kàn hēi bǎn hé kè běn。
The teacher asked us to look at the board and the textbook at the same time.
他们同时笑了。
tā men tóng shí xiào le。
They laughed at the same time.
我不能同时做很多事。
wǒ bù néng tóng shí zuò hěn duō shì。
I cannot do many things at the same time.
这个软件可以同时打开两个文件。
zhè ge ruǎn jiàn kě yǐ tóng shí dǎ kāi liǎng gè wén jiàn。
This software can open two files at the same time.
Mini dialogue
一起做作业
A
我们不能同时看电视和写作业。
Wǒmen bù néng tóngshí kàn diànshì hé xiě zuòyè.
We can't watch TV and do homework at the same time.
B
你说得对，我先关掉电视。
Nǐ shuō de duì, wǒ xiān guāndiào diànshì.
You're right, I'll turn off the TV first.
同时到达
A
看，我们两个人同时到达了终点！
Kàn, wǒmen liǎng gè rén tóngshí dàodá le zhōngdiǎn!
Look, the two of us reached the finish line at the same time!
B
太巧了，我们同时跑完的。
Tài qiǎo le, wǒmen tóngshí pǎo wán de.
What a coincidence, we finished running at the same time.
Related words and contrasts
contrast
一起
yī qǐ
together
一起 means doing something together; 同时 means at the same time, not necessarily together.
contrast
立刻
lì kè
immediately
立刻 means right away; 同时 means two things happen at the same time.