<p>About the usage of 同学, I have explained <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/51164/can-also-a-teacher-say-%E5%90%8C%E5%AD%A6%E4%BB%AC%E5%A5%BD">here</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>When a teacher or any outsider says 同学们, 同学 is referred to as a &quot;student&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>Example:</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>张同学，李同学 = classmate Zhang, classmate Li (from a classmate's standpoint, but it is too formal, typically classmates just address each other with their full names)</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>张同学，李同学 = student Zhang, student Li (from a teacher or any outsider's standpoint)</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>同学们好 = &quot;Hello students&quot; or &quot;Hello class&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><p>学生 = student (in general). A university senior and a grade-oner are both students. A person who studies under a master is referred to as that master's student (学生)</p>
</li>
<li><p>学童 = children age student, basically all grade-schoolers are 学童 (kid students)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>Why not 学生 or 学童？</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>老师讲完故事之后，问学生们: ...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Both 学生们 and 同学们 mean &quot;students&quot; there's no problem using either one</p>
<blockquote>
<p>老师讲完故事之后，问学童们: ...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>it means they are all kid students</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-19T03:25:28.147Z
2023-09-19T03:38:25.067Z
2023-09-19T03:38:25.067Z
Tang Ho
<p>同学 = fellow student; schoolmate; classmate.</p>
<p>It can be used by the teacher to address a particular student (ex: 張同学 - a student with the surname 張), or to the entire class (同学們, 上課了 = Student, class has started).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-19T00:59:59.333Z
2023-09-19T00:59:59.333Z
r13
<p>比如，他们讨论过《卖火柴的小女孩儿》是写给谁看的，还讨论过灰姑娘的故事。老师讲完故事之后，问同学们: ...</p>
<p>This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 22. I don't understand why the word 同学 is used. Why not 学生 or 学童？</p>
<p>老师讲完故事之后，问学生们: ...</p>
<p>老师讲完故事之后，问学童们: ...</p>
<p>Dictionaries say that 学生 may mean pupil or student, 学童 may mean schoolchild or pupil, but 同学 may mean either classmate or schoolmate. So, I suppose that the latter is something to be said between pupils addressing each other, not a teacher addressing pupils. Am I right? Or is it about another meaning of the latter that wiktionary has? ... 2. a term of address for a student?</p>
<p>What is your opinion?</p>

<meaning><meaning-in-context><difference>
Differences between 学生，学童 and 同学？
# Differences between 学生，学童 and 同学？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-09-19)

比如，他们讨论过《卖火柴的小女孩儿》是写给谁看的，还讨论过灰姑娘的故事。老师讲完故事之后，问同学们: ...

This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 22. I don't understand why the word 同学 is used. Why not 学生 or 学童？

老师讲完故事之后，问学生们: ...

老师讲完故事之后，问学童们: ...

Dictionaries say that 学生 may mean pupil or student, 学童 may mean schoolchild or pupil, but 同学 may mean either classmate or schoolmate. So, I suppose that the latter is something to be said between pupils addressing each other, not a teacher addressing pupils. Am I right? Or is it about another meaning of the latter that wiktionary has? ... 2. a term of address for a student?

What is your opinion?

**Tags:** meaning, meaning-in-context, difference


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-09-19. Score: 1

About the usage of 同学, I have explained [here](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/51164/can-also-a-teacher-say-%E5%90%8C%E5%AD%A6%E4%BB%AC%E5%A5%BD)

> When a teacher or any outsider says 同学们, 同学 is referred to as a "student"

> Example:

> 张同学，李同学 = classmate Zhang, classmate Li (from a classmate's standpoint, but it is too formal, typically classmates just address each other with their full names)

> 张同学，李同学 = student Zhang, student Li (from a teacher or any outsider's standpoint)

> 同学们好 = "Hello students" or "Hello class"

* 学生 = student (in general). A university senior and a grade-oner are both students. A person who studies under a master is referred to as that master's student (学生)
* 学童 = children age student, basically all grade-schoolers are 学童 (kid students)

> Why not 学生 or 学童？

> 老师讲完故事之后，问学生们: ...

Both 学生们 and 同学们 mean "students" there's no problem using either one

> 老师讲完故事之后，问学童们: ...

it means they are all kid students


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### Answer by username_2 on 2023-09-19. Score: 0

同学 = fellow student; schoolmate; classmate.

It can be used by the teacher to address a particular student (ex: 張同学 - a student with the surname 張), or to the entire class (同学們, 上課了 = Student, class has started).


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