同学 (tóngxué)

同学 refers to someone who studies or studied at the same school or in the same class as you.

Meanings

[noun] classmate; schoolmate; fellow student

Example Sentences

我和我的同学一起复习功课。 Wǒ hé wǒ de tóngxué yīqǐ fùxí gōngkè. My classmates and I review our lessons together.

她是我大学时最好的同学。 Tā shì wǒ dàxué shí zuì hǎo de tóngxué. She was my best classmate during university.

同学们，请翻开教材第三十页。 Tóngxuémen, qǐng fān kāi jiàocái dìsānshí yè. Classmates, please turn to page thirty of your textbook.

我和老同学叙旧，聊了很久。 Wǒ hé lǎo tóngxué xùjiù, liáole hěn jiǔ. I caught up with an old classmate and chatted for a long time.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
老同学	old classmate (from the past)
同学聚会	class reunion
同学关系	relationship with classmates
大学同学	university classmate

Usage Notes

同学 is also used as a polite form of address when speaking to students, similar to saying "student" or "young person" in English. Teachers often address their class as 同学们 (classmates/students). It is distinct from 同事 (colleague) which refers to coworkers.

Memory Hook

同 means "same" and 学 means "study/learn" -- 同学 are people who study the same things at the same place, i.e., classmates.