tóng lèi xiāng xīdictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
Like attracts like.
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-554546fada165537. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

同類相吸 同类相吸 [tong2 lei4 xiang1 xi1] /Like attracts like./

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 同類相吸

  • 同
    tóng

    like / same / similar / together / alike / with

    tòng

    used in 胡同[hú tòng] / used in 衚衕|胡同[hú tòng]

  • 类
    lèi

    kind; type; class; category / (classifier) kind; type / (bound form) to resemble; to be similar to

  • 相
    xiāng

    each other / one another / mutually / fret on the neck of a pipa 琵琶[pí pa] (a fret on the soundboard is called a 品[pǐn])

    xiàng

    appearance / portrait / picture / government minister / (physics) phase / (literary) to appraise (esp. by scrutinizing physical features) / to read sb's fortune (by physiognomy, palmistry etc)

    Xiāng

    surname Xiang

  • 吸
    xī

    to breathe / to suck in / to absorb / to inhale

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.