Listen to this articletóngbāo 同胞
Brothers and Sisters of the Same Parents; Compatriots
同胞胎，指同父母所生的兄弟姐妹。犹言亲人、一家人。北宋张载（1020—1077）依据万物皆由天地所生这一观念，提出了“民胞物与”的思想。“同胞”一词由此超越了血亲家族的范围，进而指同一民族或国家特别是具有共同语言和文化的人，有时甚至超越民族、国家等界限，泛指整个人类。它通过对共同的祖先、语言和文化的溯源，唤起并强化人们对自己民族或国家的归属感和认同感，其中所蕴含的平等、博爱观念，可以说是人类共同的精神财富。
This term originally referred to siblings in the same family. On the basis of the belief that all living creatures are created by heaven and earth, Zhang Zai (1020–1077) of the Northern Song Dynasty advanced the view that all people were brothers and sisters and all living things companions. The meaning of the term was thus extended from blood ties to include people of the same nation or state, especially those with a common language and culture. Sometimes the term goes beyond the nation to refer to all of humanity. By tracing common ancestry, language and culture, it rouses and strengthens people’s sense of identity and recognition of their own nation and state. Equality and universal love it embodies are a source of inspiration for humanity.
引例 Citations：
◎同胞之徒，无所容居，其故何也？（东方朔《答客难》）
（连亲兄弟都无处容身，这是为什么呢？）
How could it be that one’s own blood brothers have no place to live? (Dongfang Shuo: Replies to a Guest’s Questions)
◎乾称父，坤称母。予兹藐焉，乃混然中处。故天地之塞，吾其体；天地之帅，吾其性。民，吾同胞；物，吾与也。（张载《西铭》）
（天是父亲，地是母亲。我这样一个小人物，浑然不觉生活于天地之间。所以，充塞天地的［气］构成我的形体，支配天地的［道］构成我的本性。世人都是我的同胞，万物都是我的同伴。）
Heaven is my father and earth is my mother. Even such a little creature like me can find a place in their midst. Therefore, what fills heaven and earth constitutes my body; what governs heaven and earth forms my nature. All people are my brothers and sisters, and all living things are my companions. (Zhang Zai: The Western Inscription)
◎万品不齐，皆吾同胞，皆吾一体，孰非当敬爱者？（袁黄《了凡四训·积善之方》）
（各色人等各有差别，但都是我的同胞，和我同为一体，有谁不是我应该敬爱的呢？）
Although people are different in many ways, they are all my compatriots. They share a common identity with me; how can I not respect and love them? (Yuan Huang: Liaofan’s Four Lessons for the Clan)
