<p>What I understand as a native speaker is that,</p>
<p>互相 focuses on the relationship between 2 or more objects,</p>
<p>彼此 focuses on the &quot;both sides&quot;, 那个和这个, that and this.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-10T18:54:24.253Z
2022-01-10T18:54:24.253Z
Automatism
<p>彼此 is more like a noun when 互相 is more like an adverb in a sentence.</p>
<p>Including the example from SE12938683, terms below never use 互相 simply because 互相 cannot become things/objects.</p>
<p>不分彼此 (No difference between you and me/he/she.)<br/>
彼此之間 (In between A and B. 彼此 acts as a subject.)<br/>
彼此要相親相愛 (A and B should cherish and love each other. Here also starts as a subject, meaning you and he/her, or this and that.)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-03T07:32:35.820Z
2022-02-03T07:38:07.777Z
2022-02-03T07:38:07.777Z
pigtail
<p>In my understanding, 彼此 focuses on the two parties, you and me, while 互相 focuses on the relationship and it's mutual.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-04T18:40:35.343Z
2022-01-04T18:40:35.343Z
Ziv
<p>They are not interchangeable in most cases. “彼此” is sort of literary and only used with persons.</p>
<p>Edit: “彼此之间” would be an exception, I used it for two items today...</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-08T11:38:00.357Z
2022-02-03T07:19:20.900Z
2022-02-03T07:19:20.900Z
user30951
<p>Yes and no.</p>
<p>互相 - one another; each other; mutual; mutually.</p>
<p>彼此 - one another; each other.</p>
<p>Above are interpretations from the dictionary, the meanings seem to overlap, but not exactly.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>互相 should mean &quot;one another mutually provide some favor in return&quot; - 你我互相幫助 (You help me, and I help you).</p>
</li>
<li><p>彼此 should mean &quot;you and I&quot; or &quot;each other&quot; - 彼此之間 (Between you and me); 不分彼此 (we are equal, nothing divides us).</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>However, they are interchangeable as in the sentence below:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>兄弟姐妹間要互相扶助</p>
</li>
<li><p>兄弟姐妹間要彼此扶助</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>In the sentences above, both mean &quot;each other&quot;, or &quot;one another&quot; - Siblings shall help each other (one another).</p>
<p>Also note that the two can work together in a sentence:</p>
<ul>
<li>你們要&quot;彼此互相&quot;幫助 - You shall (mutually) help each other. Note that the sequence of 彼此互相 should not be reversed.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-03T14:40:04.547Z
2022-01-03T14:40:04.547Z
r13
<p>I was told they were interchangeable except in few cases. What are they?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-08T06:54:07.510Z
互相 can only be adverb。 彼此 can be adverb or noun。Classic usage：你我虽彼此（adverb）不大认识，但为祖国做贡献咱不分彼此（noun）。
John
<word-choice><difference><vocabulary>
What is the difference between 互相 and 彼此
# What is the difference between 互相 and 彼此

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-01-03)

I was told they were interchangeable except in few cases. What are they?

**Tags:** word-choice, difference, vocabulary

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 互相 can only be adverb。 彼此 can be adverb or noun。Classic usage：你我虽彼此（adverb）不大认识，但为祖国做贡献咱不分彼此（noun）。  

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## 5 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2022-01-03. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

Yes and no.

互相 - one another; each other; mutual; mutually.

彼此 - one another; each other.

Above are interpretations from the dictionary, the meanings seem to overlap, but not exactly.

* 互相 should mean "one another mutually provide some favor in return" - 你我互相幫助 (You help me, and I help you).
* 彼此 should mean "you and I" or "each other" - 彼此之間 (Between you and me); 不分彼此 (we are equal, nothing divides us).

However, they are interchangeable as in the sentence below:

* 兄弟姐妹間要互相扶助
* 兄弟姐妹間要彼此扶助

In the sentences above, both mean "each other", or "one another" - Siblings shall help each other (one another).

Also note that the two can work together in a sentence:

* 你們要"彼此互相"幫助 - You shall (mutually) help each other. Note that the sequence of 彼此互相 should not be reversed.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-01-10. Score: 1

What I understand as a native speaker is that,

互相 focuses on the relationship between 2 or more objects,

彼此 focuses on the "both sides", 那个和这个, that and this.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2022-02-03. Score: 1

彼此 is more like a noun when 互相 is more like an adverb in a sentence.

Including the example from SE12938683, terms below never use 互相 simply because 互相 cannot become things/objects.

不分彼此 (No difference between you and me/he/she.)  
彼此之間 (In between A and B. 彼此 acts as a subject.)  
彼此要相親相愛 (A and B should cherish and love each other. Here also starts as a subject, meaning you and he/her, or this and that.)


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### Answer by username_4 on 2022-01-04. Score: 0

In my understanding, 彼此 focuses on the two parties, you and me, while 互相 focuses on the relationship and it's mutual.


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### Answer by username_5 on 2022-01-08. Score: 0

They are not interchangeable in most cases. “彼此” is sort of literary and only used with persons.

Edit: “彼此之间” would be an exception, I used it for two items today...


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