<p>I live in north, we only use 室友, when I see your question, I have to check dictionary for 同屋( I have never heard of it) to make sure I know it right, cuz we can not rely on the literary meanings, for example 家里那人 refer to husband or wife, not any other family members.</p>

<p>You would better avoid 同屋, because that is a slang, they always have other meanings in different areas. For example 同一个屋檐下 usually refer to neighbors, relations but not rootmates.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T06:11:59.623Z
2018-03-05T06:11:59.623Z
sfy
<p>I'm from southern China. I would usually say 室友 or 舍友 to refer to my roommate. That's only a personal preference. I can still understand if someone says 同屋. But I would be unsure that if that person and his/her roommate are a couple. I do not know if 同屋 in northern Chinese dialects may mean couples, at least from my own experience.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T06:13:23.903Z
We never use 同屋 in north, I thought that is a southern slang...
sfy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T16:31:47.453Z
@Jacob 我也没有听北方同学和朋友说过 :)
pjhades
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-04T19:55:49.543Z
2018-03-04T19:55:49.543Z
pjhades
<p>I am very alarmed! At university, as far as I can remember, we learned 同屋 as “roommate” and 室友 as a synonym, particularly popular in southern China. </p>

<p>Now this <a href="https://hinative.com/zh-CN/questions/1674117" rel="nofollow noreferrer">site</a></p>

<p>claims that:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>同屋" usually refers to two people or a couple who live in the same house/bedroom and are most likely in a sexual relationship. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Is that true? I don’t want such misunderstandings to arise, possibly insulting people!!!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-04T18:12:14.340Z
bkrs：同屋1) v.o. share a room 2) n. roommate 谓夫妇同房（cohabitate (2) сожительствовать) (couple)) (as in English meaning may depend on context) (pets and plants can be roommates), **同居** ，同住 are more explicit for cohabitation
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T03:25:24.787Z
@user6065 **"谓夫妇同房（cohabitate"** this is totally contradictory - **夫妇** = husband and wife and cohabitate = two people who are not married live together.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T05:30:47.813Z
No difference between the two words.
Sepwolves
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T07:28:08.230Z
anyhow bkrs also has сожительствовать, see Russian-English dictionaries
user6065
<difference><politeness>
Difference between 室友 and 同屋
# Difference between 室友 and 同屋

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-04)

I am very alarmed! At university, as far as I can remember, we learned 同屋 as “roommate” and 室友 as a synonym, particularly popular in southern China.

Now this [site](https://hinative.com/zh-CN/questions/1674117)

claims that:

> 同屋" usually refers to two people or a couple who live in the same house/bedroom and are most likely in a sexual relationship.

Is that true? I don’t want such misunderstandings to arise, possibly insulting people!!!

**Tags:** difference, politeness

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: bkrs：同屋1) v.o. share a room 2) n. roommate 谓夫妇同房（cohabitate (2) сожительствовать) (couple)) (as in English meaning may depend on context) (pets and plants can be roommates), **同居** ，同住 are more explicit for cohabitation  
> **username_2**: @username_1 **"谓夫妇同房（cohabitate"** this is totally contradictory - **夫妇** = husband and wife and cohabitate = two people who are not married live together.  
> **username_3**: No difference between the two words.  
> **username_1**: anyhow bkrs also has сожительствовать, see Russian-English dictionaries  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-03-05. Score: 2

I live in north, we only use 室友, when I see your question, I have to check dictionary for 同屋( I have never heard of it) to make sure I know it right, cuz we can not rely on the literary meanings, for example 家里那人 refer to husband or wife, not any other family members.

You would better avoid 同屋, because that is a slang, they always have other meanings in different areas. For example 同一个屋檐下 usually refer to neighbors, relations but not rootmates.


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### Answer by username_5 on 2018-03-04. Score: 1

I'm from southern China. I would usually say 室友 or 舍友 to refer to my roommate. That's only a personal preference. I can still understand if someone says 同屋. But I would be unsure that if that person and his/her roommate are a couple. I do not know if 同屋 in northern Chinese dialects may mean couples, at least from my own experience.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: We never use 同屋 in north, I thought that is a southern slang...  
> **username_5**: @Jacob 我也没有听北方同学和朋友说过 :)  

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