同志

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “history of modern senses”)

Sense 2 was first appropriated by Sun Yat-sen in the early 20th century to describe his supporters, and later used by the Chinese Communist Party as an address for anyone.

Sense 4 was coined by the Hong Kong writer Mai Ke (迈克) in the 1980s. He explained that his use of this term for gay people to represent solidarity. Popularised since 1989 by the activist Edward Lam as part of the Chinese name for the Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival (香港同志影展).

Pronunciation

Noun

同志

1. someone sharing similar interests or aspirations; kindred spirit

   • 法顯、道整初到祇洹精舍，念昔世尊住此二十五年，自傷生在邊地，共諸同志遊歷諸國，而或有還者，或有無常者，今日乃見佛空處，愴然心悲。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     法显、道整初到祇洹精舍，念昔世尊住此二十五年，自伤生在边地，共诸同志游历诸国，而或有还者，或有无常者，今日乃见佛空处，怆然心悲。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 416, Faxian（法顯）, 《佛國記》, translation based on H. A. Giles's version

     Fǎxiǎn, Dàozhěng chū dào Qíhuán jīngshè, niàn xī shìzūn zhù cǐ èrshíwǔ nián, zìshāng shēng zài biāndì, gòng zhūtóngzhì yóulì zhūguó, ér huò yǒu huán zhě, huò yǒu wúcháng zhě, jīnrì nǎi jiàn fó kōng chù, chuàngrán xīn bēi. [Pinyin]

     When Fâ-Hien and Tâo-Ching first arrived at the Jetavana monastery, and thought how the World-honoured one has formerly resided there for twenty-five years, painful reflections arose in their minds. Born in a borderland, along with their like-minded friends, they had travelled through so many kingdoms; some of those friends had returned (to their own land), and some had died, proving the impermanence and uncertainty of life; and today seeing the place where Buddha had lived now unoccupied, they were melancholy through their pain of heart.

   • 與我為同志，如君能幾人。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     与我为同志，如君能几人。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. late 9th century to early 900s, Du Xunhe (杜荀鶴), 《寄詩友》

     Yǔ wǒ wéi tóngzhì, rú jūn néng jǐ rén. [Pinyin]

     You and I are kindred spirits.
     Like you how many can there be?

   • 樂得與二三同志，酒餘飯飽，雨夕燈窗之下，同消寂寞。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     乐得与二三同志，酒余饭饱，雨夕灯窗之下，同消寂寞。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Cao Xueqin, Dream of the Red Chamber, mid-18^th century CE

     Lèdé yǔ èrsān tóngzhì, jiǔ yú fàn bǎo, yǔ xī dēng chuāng zhī xià, tóng xiāo jìmò. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

2. fellow member of a political party
   • 1925, Wang Jingwei, Last Will and Testament of Sun Yat-sen‎^{s:zh:總理遺囑}:

     現在革命尚未成功，凡我同志，務須依照余所著《建國方略》、《建國大綱》、《三民主義》及《第一次全國代表大會宣言》，繼續努力，以求貫徹。 [MSC, trad.]
     现在革命尚未成功，凡我同志，务须依照余所著《建国方略》、《建国大纲》、《三民主义》及《第一次全国代表大会宣言》，继续努力，以求贯彻。 [MSC, simp.]

     Xiànzài gémìng shàngwèi chénggōng, fán wǒ tóngzhì, wùxū yīzhào yú suǒ zhù “jiànguó fānglüè”, “jiànguó dàgāng”, “sānmínzhǔyì” jí “dìyī cì quánguó dàibiǎo dàhuì xuānyán”, jìxù nǔlì, yǐqiú guànchè. [Pinyin]

     The Revolution is yet successful, my every comrades shall continue to strive and implement my writings of Plan for National Reconstruction, State-building Outlines, Three Principles of the People and Declaration of the First National Representative Congress.

3. (communism) comrade (Classifier: 個／个; 位; 名)

   領導同志／领导同志  ―  lǐngdǎo tóngzhì  ―  leading comrade

   列寧同志／列宁同志  ―  Lièníng tóngzhì  ―  Comrade Lenin

   同志，請問去人民廣場怎麼走？ [MSC, trad.]
   同志，请问去人民广场怎么走？ [MSC, simp.]

   Tóngzhì, qǐngwèn qù Rénmín Guǎngchǎng zěnme zǒu? [Pinyin]

   Hello, comrade. Could you please tell me how to get to the People's Square?

   • 我們這些繁體字出身的人會不假思索地說「言」是常體，「讠」是變體。但是簡體字出身的同志未必會同意。 [MSC, trad.]
     我们这些繁体字出身的人会不假思索地说「言」是常体，「讠」是变体。但是简体字出身的同志未必会同意。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1962, Lü Shuxiang, 《关于“语言单位的同一性”等等》 [The Identity of Linguistic Units and Related Matters], in 《中国语文》, →ISSN

     Wǒmen zhèxiē fántǐzì chūshēn de rén huì bùjiǎsīsuǒ dì shuō “言” shì chángtǐ, “讠” shì biàntǐ. Dànshì jiǎntǐzì chūshēn de tóngzhì wèibì huì tóngyì. [Pinyin]

     Those of us who grew up with traditional Chinese characters will not hesitate to say that 言 (yán) is orthodox and that 讠 (yán) is a variant. But those comrades who grew up with simplified Chinese characters may not necessarily agree.

   • 語言學教研室王洪君同志編制了普通話音序索引。 [MSC, trad.]
     语言学教研室王洪君同志编制了普通话音序索引。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1995, 北京大学中文语言文学系语言学教研室, 《汉语方言词汇》, 2nd edition, 前言 (written in 1988)

     Yǔyánxué Jiàoyánshì Wáng Hóngjūn tóngzhì biānzhì le pǔtōnghuà yīnxù suǒyǐn. [Pinyin]

     Comrade Wang Hongjun of the Linguistics Teaching and Research Section compiled the Putonghua alphabetical index.

   • 果然，從此以後，其他工作組的同志在與敵人突然遭遇時就不再像過去那樣驚慌失措了。 [MSC, trad.]
     果然，从此以后，其他工作组的同志在与敌人突然遭遇时就不再像过去那样惊慌失措了。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2013, 谢宝瑜, 《玫瑰坝》, page 752

     Guǒrán, cóngcǐ yǐhòu, qítā gōngzuòzǔ de tóngzhì zài yǔ dírén tūrán zāoyù shí jiù bùzài xiàng guòqù nàyàng jīnghuāngshīcuò le. [Pinyin]

     Sure enough, from then on, comrades in other working groups did not panic as before when they encounter enemies without notice.

4. (neologism) homosexual; gay (Classifier: 個／个; 位; 名)

   • 我似乎想變性後，成為女「同志」，愛別的女性也被別的女性所愛。我對男性的一切都不感興趣。 [MSC, trad.]
     我似乎想变性后，成为女「同志」，爱别的女性也被别的女性所爱。我对男性的一切都不感兴趣。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2003 November 19, 玉萍, 《做第三性，无怨无悔》, on 夏世莲, archived on Internet Archive

     Wǒ sìhū xiǎng biànxìng hòu, chéngwéi nǚ “tóngzhì”, ài biéde nǚxìng yě bèi biéde nǚxìng suǒ ài. Wǒ duì nánxìng de yīqiè dōu bù gǎnxìngqù. [Pinyin]

     It seems that, after my transition, I wanted to be a lesbian, to love other women and be loved by other women. I was not interested in anything male.

   • 本研究採立意取樣，受試者年齡在20至45歲之間，針對回收90位同志與128位已婚者的問卷進行比較分析。 [MSC, trad.]
     本研究采立意取样，受试者年龄在20至45岁之间，针对回收90位同志与128位已婚者的问卷进行比较分析。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2009, 謝文宜 (Wen-Yi Shieh), 蕭英玲 (Ying-Ling Hsiao), 曾秀雲 (Hsiu-Yun Tseng), 台灣同志伴侶與夫妻關係品質之比較研究 (A Comparative Study of Relationship Quality of Same-sex Couples and Married Couples in Taiwan), 摘要 (Abstract), in 《輔導與諮商學報》 (The Archive of Guidance & Counseling), volume 31, issue 2

     Běn yánjiū cǎi lìyì qǔyàng, shòushìzhě niánlíng zài 20 zhì 45 suì zhījiān, zhēnduì huíshōu 90 wèi tóngzhì yǔ 128 wèi yǐhūnzhě de wènjuǎn jìnxíng bǐjiào fēnxī. [Pinyin]

     Purposeful sampling was applied. The participants ranged from 20 to 45 years old, and comparative analysis was based on responses from 90 same-sex partners and 128 married partners.

   • 同樣受到歡迎的，還有《熱愛》和《土狗》兩部90年代的同志雜誌，這兩部雜誌定期連載同志小說、評論本土及中譯小說，另外也刊登臺灣人氣同志作家的短篇。 [MSC, trad.]
     同样受到欢迎的，还有《热爱》和《土狗》两部90年代的同志杂志，这两部杂志定期连载同志小说、评论本土及中译小说，另外也刊登台湾人气同志作家的短篇。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2012, 馬嘉蘭 (Fran Martin), 臺灣文學中的性越界, in 廖炳惠, 孫康宜, 王德威 (editors), 《臺灣及其脈絡》, page 329

     Tóngyàng shòudào huānyíng de, háiyǒu “Rè'ài” hé “Tǔgǒu” liǎng bù 90 niándài de tóngzhì zázhì, zhè liǎng bù zázhì dìngqī liánzǎi tóngzhì xiǎoshuō, pínglùn běntǔ jí zhōngyì xiǎoshuō, lìngwài yě kāndēng táiwān rénqì tóngzhì zuòjiā de duǎnpiān. [Pinyin]

     Also as popular were G & L and Together, two gay magazines from the 90s. These two magazines regularly published gay fiction in instalments, reviewed local and translated novels, and published short pieces by Taiwan's popular gay authors.

5. (neologism) person of a non-mainstream sexuality or gender identity; LGBTI person; queer (Classifier: 個／个; 位; 名)

   北京同志中心 [MSC, trad. and simp.]

   Běijīng Tóngzhì Zhōngxīn [Pinyin]

   Beijing LGBT Center

   • C.A.L.L. OUT!與卑詩省各地的機構合作，讓同性戀、雙性戀、跨性別、雙靈人、同志、對性傾向有疑問的青少年和他們的盟友參與健康和有意義的活動，提高他們的領導能力和社區聯繫。 [MSC, trad.]
     C.A.L.L. OUT!与卑诗省各地的机构合作，让同性恋、双性恋、跨性别、双灵人、同志、对性倾向有疑问的青少年和他们的盟友参与健康和有意义的活动，提高他们的领导能力和社区联系。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2011, Vancouver School Board, 《性别变异和跨性别青少年父母和家人的疑问解答》 [Questions & Answers for Parents and Family Members of Gender Variant and Transgendered Youth (English)], page 14

     C.A.L.L. OUT! Yǔ Bēishī Shěng gèdì de jīgòu hézuò, ràng tóngxìngliàn, shuāngxìngliàn, kuàxìngbié, shuānglíngrén, tóngzhì, duì xìngqīngxiàng yǒu yíwèn de qīngshàonián hé tāmen de méngyǒu cānyǔ jiànkāng hé yǒu yìyì de huódòng, tígāo tāmen de lǐngdǎo nénglì hé shèqū liánxì. [Pinyin]

     C.A.L.L. Out! works with organizations across BC to engage Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Two-Spirit, Queer, Questioning and Allied youth in healthy, meaningful activities that increase their leadership capacity and connection to community.

   • 長達1小時的節目強加給小方的「不男不女」的標籤和性別刻板的規訓令她和她的家人遭受羞辱，也令同志社群憤怒地聲討這個節目。 [MSC, trad.]
     长达1小时的节目强加给小方的「不男不女」的标签和性别刻板的规训令她和她的家人遭受羞辱，也令同志社群愤怒地声讨这个节目。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2018, United Nations Development Programme, China Women's University, 《跨性别者性别认同的法律承认：中国相关法律和政策的评估报告》, page 37

     Chángdá 1 xiǎoshí de jiémù qiángjiā gěi Xiǎo Fāng de “bùnánbùnǚ” de biāoqiān hé xìngbié kèbǎn de guīxùn lìng tā hé tā de jiārén zāoshòu xiūrǔ, yě lìng tóngzhì shèqún fènnù de shēngtǎo zhège jiémù. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)