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活计 (huó jì) — manual work, handicraft; livelihood, means of making a living

Definition

A somewhat literary, traditional word for manual work or the livelihood that comes from it. Often refers to skilled handcraft like embroidery or tailoring, and can also mean the work one does to earn a living.

noun
manual workhandicraftlivelihoodmeans of making a living
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 活计，。
    Zhè jiā diàn zhuān mén zuò cì xiù huó jì, shǒu yì fēi cháng jīng zhàn.
    This shop specializes in embroidery handicraft and has very exquisite skills.
  • ，。
    Tā zài gōng chǎng lǐ zuò huó jì, měi tiān dōu hěn xīn kǔ.
    He does manual work in the factory, and it's hard every day.
  • 活计，。
    Kāi chū zū chē shì tā de huó jì, suī rán lèi dàn shōu rù hái xíng.
    Driving a taxi is his livelihood; although tiring, the income is okay.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

活huówork
计jìmeans

活 names work and 计 names a means, together meaning work or livelihood.

Characters in this word

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑活huó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

活 is built from 氵 (water) and 𠯑, which shows the sound; 𠯑 later changed into 舌.

Open 活 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 計; 计 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 計 pairs 言 (say) with 十 (all). The simplified 计 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical shape.

Open 计 →
Appears in
Crafts & HandiworkProfessions & Jobs

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