大同小异
- Literal
- great sameness, small difference
- Figurative
- Things that agree on everything important and differ only in small details: much the same, in different wrapping.
Where does 大同小异 come from?
It does not come from a particular story: it is a contrast formula, of the kind Chinese builds by pairing opposites — 大 with 小, 同 with 异 — to weigh one side against the other. The large part is the resemblance; the small part, the difference. It often carries a hint of disappointment, when you expected something new and got a variation on the same thing, but it works just as well as a neutral observation that two versions basically match.
How is 大同小异 used? Two examples
- 他们提的两个方案大同小异，差别就在价格。
The two plans they've put to us are near-identical; the only thing that differs is the price.
- 各家的做法大同小异，只是调料放得不太一样。
Every household makes it much the same way; the only real difference is the seasoning.
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