《红楼梦》运用名词的第二个特色是：善用同义词，富有变化，不单调，不呆板。

3)袭人笑道：“这是他来给你拜寿。今儿也是他的生日，你也该给他拜寿。”

宝玉听了，喜的忙作下揖去，说：“原来今儿也是姐姐的芳诞。”

……探春笑道你原来不知道，今儿是平姑娘的华诞。……”

……柳家的笑道原来今日也是平姑娘的千秋，我竟不知道。” (第六十二回）

杨译：

"She came to congratulate you," Xiren said, "but today is her birthday too. So its up to you to congratulate her as well."

Baoyu bowed again in his delight and exclaimed, "So it's your birthday too, sister!"

..."You don't understand," Tanchun told her. "Today is Miss Ping'er's birthday."

...Mrs. Liu laughed. "So it's Miss Ping'er's birthday too, eh? I didn't know that."

霍译：

'She's finished making her birthday reverence to you,' said Aroma; 'but it's her birthday today too, so you still have to make yours to her.'

Bao-yu bowed again, delightedly.

'So it's your birthday too, Patience?'

...'Yes,' said Tan-chun,'…Today is Patience's birthday and...'

...'Miss Patience's birthday today?' said Cook Liu. 'Well I never!' And she …

该例同是说平儿的“生日”，四个人用了四个不同的词，表示了不同人物的身份、口气、心情，一点儿也不单调、雷同。读者已经注意到，译文中都用了清一色的“birthday”，体现了笔者上文所提到的英汉两种语言在语义上部分对等的缺憾。

《红楼梦》善用同义词的特色，在贾母的称呼上也表现得很突出。这许多不同的称谓，在不同的场合，不同的人物口中，都指贾母一人， 可谓丰富多彩，各尽其妙。而且，与上例所不同的是，每一称呼的相应译文也是色彩纷呈，紧扣原作，与之相映成趣：

4) 刘姥姥便知是贾母了，忙上来陪着笑，福了几福，口里说：“请老寿星安。”（第三十九回）

杨译：

Concluding that this was the Lady Dowager, the old woman stepped forward，smiling，and curtseyed to her.

“Greetings，Goddess of Long Life ! ”she cried.