与此同时

与此同时 means 'at the same time' or 'in the meantime.' It is used to indicate that two events or actions are happening simultaneously or in parallel.

The character 与 (yǔ) means 'with' or 'and,' 此 (cǐ) means 'this,' 同 (tóng) means 'same,' and 时 (shí) means 'time.' Together, they literally translate to 'with this same time,' which conveys the idea of simultaneity.

This phrase is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to show that multiple things are occurring concurrently. It can be found in news reports, academic writing, and everyday conversations. A similar expression is “同时” (tóngshí), but 与此同时 adds a more formal or literary tone.