Definition
业 is a suffix, not a standalone noun. It attaches to another character to form words like 行业 (industry), 职业 (occupation), and 学业 (academic studies). Unlike the full nouns 职业 or 事业, 业 never appears alone in modern Chinese — it always combines with a prefix to specify the field.
suffix
(suffix) industryline of business (in 行业, 产业, 企业)(suffix) occupationcareerundertaking (in 事业, 职业, 就业)(suffix) school studiesacademic work (in 学业, 毕业)
Easily confused
- 丝sīlook-alikesilk
- 也yěsound-alikealso, too
- 西Xīlook-alikewest; the West
- 夜yèsound-alikenight (noun)
- 而érlook-alike(conjunction) and, as well as (connecting parallel elements)
- 页yèsound-alike(classifier) for pages (of a book, document, paper)
- 五wǔlook-alikefive
- 野yěsound-alikewild (of plants, animals, nature); uncultivated
- 上shànglook-alike(noun) above, on, up (indicating position or location)
- 雨yǔlook-alikerain
Examples
- 。Tā cóngshì jìsuànjī háng yè hěn duō nián le.He has been in the computer industry for many years.
- 。Tā bǎ jiàoyù dàngzuò yìshēng de shì yè.She regards education as her lifelong career.
- 。Tā de xué yè chéngjì zài bān lǐ míngliè qiánmáo.His academic performance ranks among the best in the class.
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