When comparing things and people, we often say that two things are the same. The Mandarin Chinese phrase for “similar” or “equal” is yí yàng.

There are two characters that make up yí yàng: 一樣. The first one (yí) is the number one. It is usually pronounced with a high and level tone (first tone) but because it comes before a falling tone (fourth tone), the tone of yí changes from the first to the second (rising).

The second character of yí yàng is樣 which means “manner,” “pattern,” or “way,” The literal translation of yí yàng, then, could be “one pattern” – two things made from the same pattern.

Examples of Yi Yang
 
    Nà liǎng zhī bǐ chàbuduō yí yàng.
    那兩枝筆差不多一樣｡
    那两枝笔差不多一样｡
    Those two pens are almost the same.

    Wǒmen de chē zǐ yí yàng.
    我們的車子一樣｡
    我们的车子一样｡
    Our cars are the same.