一齐: Acting All Together in Chinese
一齐
一齐 marks participants performing an action together or at the same time. It normally follows the plural subject and precedes the verb phrase. It cannot serve as the object of the verb, take an aspect particle itself, or describe a genuinely singular participant without a contextually supplied group.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Plural subject + 一齐 + Verb phrase
Read the structure
一齐 marks participants performing an action together or at the same time. It normally follows the plural subject and precedes the verb phrase. It cannot serve as the object of the verb, take an aspect particle itself, or describe a genuinely singular participant without a contextually supplied group. Keep the model Plural subject + 一齐 + Verb phrase visible while you compare each sentence.
大家一齐动手清理垃圾。
Everyone worked together to clear the rubbish.
Choose the right context
Coordinate a group action: 大家一齐动手。 Describe simultaneous movement or response. Emphasize that participants act as one group.
听到口令后，他们一齐向前走。
After hearing the command, they moved forward together.
Respect the boundary
Do not use it with a truly singular participant. Do not place it after the verb as an object. Do not attach 了 to 一齐.
大家一动手齐清理垃圾。
(Everyone one starts all clear rubbish.)
Repair the pattern
The fixed coordination adverb is split: 一齐 is one fixed adverb and must remain together before the shared action. 了 is attached to the coordination adverb: 一齐 is an adverb and cannot take the aspect particle 了.
大家一齐动手清理垃圾。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
大家一齐动手清理垃圾。
Everyone worked together to clear the rubbish.
大家
Plural subject
This part occupies the Plural subject position in the model pattern.
一齐
一齐
This part occupies the 一齐 position in the model pattern.
动手
Verb phrase
This part occupies the Verb phrase position in the model pattern.
清理
Plural subject
This part occupies the Plural subject position in the model pattern.
垃圾
一齐
This part occupies the 一齐 position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
大家一齐动手清理垃圾。
Everyone worked together to clear the rubbish.
听到口令后，他们一齐向前走。
After hearing the command, they moved forward together.
同学们一齐鼓起掌来。
The students all began applauding together.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Coordinate a group action: 大家一齐动手。
- Describe simultaneous movement or response.
- Emphasize that participants act as one group.
Do not use it when
- Do not use it with a truly singular participant.
- Do not place it after the verb as an object.
- Do not attach 了 to 一齐.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
大家一动手齐清理垃圾。
大家一齐动手清理垃圾。
The fixed coordination adverb is split
一齐 is one fixed adverb and must remain together before the shared action.
他们一齐了向前走。
他们一齐向前走。
了 is attached to the coordination adverb
一齐 is an adverb and cannot take the aspect particle 了.
大家一动手齐清理垃圾。
一齐 is one fixed adverb and must remain together before the shared action.
他们一齐了向前走。
一齐 is an adverb and cannot take the aspect particle 了.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 一齐.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 一齐. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
一齐: Acting All Together Questions
How is 一齐 different from 一起?
They overlap, but 一齐 often emphasizes simultaneous group action; 一起 is broader in everyday speech.
Where does 一齐 go?
It follows the subject and precedes the shared action.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: GF0025-2021 Appendix A, Level 6 item 【六07】, 范围、协同副词：尽、净、一齐、一同
Supports placement in HSK 6; it does not independently establish the usage explanation.
Official sourceA Reference Grammar of Chinese
Huang, Shi and Li · Cambridge University Press · 2022
Locator: Chapter 12, §§12.1–12.2, descriptive and collaborative adverbs
Supports pre-predicate placement for adverbs describing the manner or coordination of an action.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Compare
互相互相: Doing Something to Each Other
Compare this lesson with 互相 distributing an action reciprocally among participants; both belong to shared participation and combined action, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
Compare
亲眼亲眼: With One's Own Eyes
Compare this lesson with 亲眼 marking direct visual participation as evidence; both belong to shared participation and combined action, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
Compare
连A带B连A带B: Two Actions Together
Compare this lesson with 连A带B combining two linked actions or affected items; both belong to shared participation and combined action, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
RECOMMENDED NEXT
Compare
Compare this lesson with 互相 distributing an action reciprocally among participants; both belong to shared participation and combined action, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.