互相 vs 相互: what is the difference?
They mean nearly the same. 互相 is the common spoken form and only goes before a verb. 相互 is more written and can also modify a noun, as in 相互关系.
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 互相 | hù xiāng | Means each other, for an action both sides do to one another. | Subject (two sides) + 互相 + verb |
| 相互 | xiāng hù | Means mutual, a bit more formal than 互相 and able to modify nouns. | 相互 + verb, or 相互 + 的 + noun |
互相 (hù xiāng)
Means each other, for an action both sides do to one another.
Structure: Subject (two sides) + 互相 + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我们互相学习，一起进步。 | Wǒ men hù xiāng xué xí, yì qǐ jìn bù. | We learn from each other and improve together. |
| 他们俩互相看了一眼，笑了。 | Tā men liǎ hù xiāng kàn le yì yǎn, xiào le. | The two of them looked at each other and smiled. |
| 同事们应该互相尊重。 | Tóng shì men yīng gāi hù xiāng zūn zhòng. | Colleagues should respect each other. |
Not: 我们互相帮助对方。 互相 already means each other, so no object like 对方 follows.
相互 (xiāng hù)
Means mutual, a bit more formal than 互相 and able to modify nouns.
Structure: 相互 + verb, or 相互 + 的 + noun
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 同学之间要相互关心。 | Tóng xué zhī jiān yào xiāng hù guān xīn. | Classmates should care about each other. |
| 这两件事相互影响。 | Zhè liǎng jiàn shì xiāng hù yǐng xiǎng. | These two things affect each other. |
| 他们相互交换了电话号码。 | Tā men xiāng hù jiāo huàn le diàn huà hào mǎ. | They exchanged phone numbers with each other. |
Not: 我相互帮助他。 相互 needs two sides acting on each other; for one-way help say 我帮助他.
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Manner Adverbs: 互相, 尽量, 亲自 (HSK 3) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 才 vs 就 · 朝 vs 向 · 从 vs 自从 · 大概 vs 恐怕 · 得很 vs 极了 · 光 vs 只 · 叫 vs 让 · 每 vs 各 · 听不懂 vs 没听懂 · 需要 vs 要 · 因为 vs 为了 · 只有…才 vs 只要…就 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 互相 and 相互?
They mean nearly the same. 互相 is the common spoken form and only goes before a verb. 相互 is more written and can also modify a noun, as in 相互关系.
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