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工作 (gōng zuò) — to work; job, work

Definition

工作 is the everyday word for paid work or a job (verb and noun). Compared to 打工 (part-time/temporary work) and 活 (colloquial 'job'), it sounds neutral and standard for a regular occupation.

to workjobwork
Measure word · 个, 份, 项

Examples

  • 工作。
    Tā zài běi jīng gōng zuò.
    He works in Beijing.
  • 工作。
    Wǒ de gōng zuò hěn hǎo.
    My job is very good.
  • 工作。
    Wǒ xǐ huan gōng zuò.
    I like to work.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

工gōnglabor
作zuòdo

“工” means labor and “作” means do, so together they mean work or a job.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 工 is a picture of a bladed tool used to plow ground or mark a border; some read it as a carpenter's square.

Open 工 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
乍
乍zhà作zuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 亻 comes from 人, meaning 'person', and the right side 乍 gives the sound.

Open 作 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 1500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 11000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsWorkplace & OfficeProfessions & Jobs

Browse more HSK 1 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.