Difference between revisions of "Comparing the two "zuo""

 
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做 (zuò) and 作 (zuò) are both verbs that can be easily confused because both mean “to do” and are pronounced identically (both fourth tone). While these both mean “to do,” the use of these two words is different and rarely interchangeable. 做 is used very commonly both in informal and formal contexts, whereas 作 is used only in specific formal situations.  
 
做 (zuò) and 作 (zuò) are both verbs that can be easily confused because both mean “to do” and are pronounced identically (both fourth tone). While these both mean “to do,” the use of these two words is different and rarely interchangeable. 做 is used very commonly both in informal and formal contexts, whereas 作 is used only in specific formal situations.  
  
{{SimilarWordsCol1|做|zuò|to do (work with your hands), to make (food, friends)|verb|flexible}}
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{{SimilarWordsCol1|做|zuò|to do (work), to make (food, friends)|verb|flexible}}
{{SimilarWordsCol2|作|zuò|to do (mental or abstract undertakings)|verb|formal}}
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{{SimilarWordsCol2|作|zuò|(mostly for parts of other words)|verb|formal}}
 
{{SimilarWordsPageInfo|B1|HSK4|ASV4567}}
 
{{SimilarWordsPageInfo|B1|HSK4|ASV4567}}
 
{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
 
{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 我 不常 点 外卖,经常 自己 <em>做</em> <strong>饭</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù cháng diǎn wàimài, jīngcháng zìjǐ <em> zuò </em> <strong> fàn </strong>.</span><span class="trans">I don't order take-out often and often cook my own food.</span>
+
* 我 不常 点 外卖,经常 自己 <em>做</em> <strong>饭</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù cháng diǎn wàimài, jīngcháng zìjǐ <em> zuò </em> <strong> fàn </strong>.</span><span class="trans">I don't order take-out often and cook my own food a lot.</span>
 
* 今天 的 <strong>作业</strong> 我 <em>做</em> 完 了。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān de <strong> zuòyè </strong> wǒ <em> zuò </em> wán le.</span><span class="trans">I finished my homework today.</span>
 
* 今天 的 <strong>作业</strong> 我 <em>做</em> 完 了。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān de <strong> zuòyè </strong> wǒ <em> zuò </em> wán le.</span><span class="trans">I finished my homework today.</span>
* <em>做</em> <strong>运动</strong> 让 人 心情 很 愉快。 <span class="pinyin"><em> zuò </em> <strong> yùndòng </strong> ràng rén xīnqíng hěn yúkuài.</span><span class="trans">Doing exercise makes you feel good.</span>
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* <em>做</em> <strong>运动</strong> 让 人 心情 很 好。 <span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> <strong>yùndòng</strong> ràng rén xīnqíng hěn hǎo.</span><span class="trans">Doing exercise makes you feel good.</span>
* 我 今天 <em>做</em> 了 一 天 <strong>工作</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān <em> zuò </em> le yī tiān <strong> gōngzuò </strong>.</span><span class="trans">I did my work all day today.</span>
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* 我 今天 <em>做</em> 了 一 天 <strong>工作</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān <em>zuò</em> le yī tiān <strong>gōngzuò</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Today I worked all day long.</span>
* 你 平常 喜欢 <em>做</em> 什么? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ píngcháng xǐhuan <em> zuò </em> shénme?</span><span class="trans">What do you usually like to do?</span>
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* 你 平常 喜欢 <em>做</em> 什么? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ píngcháng xǐhuan <em>zuò</em> shénme?</span><span class="trans">What do you usually like to do?</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Use 做 for “to be” certain roles ==
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== Use 做 for "to be" certain roles ==
  
 
=== Common Phrases ===
 
=== Common Phrases ===
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
* 做 妈妈 <span class="pinyin">zuò māma</span><span class="trans">be a mother</span>
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* 做 朋友 <span class="pinyin">zuò péngyou</span><span class="trans">to be a friend</span>
* 做 老师 <span class="pinyin">zuò lǎoshī</span><span class="trans">be a teacher</span>
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* 做 妈妈 <span class="pinyin">zuò māma</span><span class="trans">to be a mother</span>
* 做 律师 <span class="pinyin">zuò lǜshī</span><span class="trans">be a lawyer</span>
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* 做 老师 <span class="pinyin">zuò lǎoshī</span><span class="trans">to be a teacher</span>
* 做 朋友 <span class="pinyin">zuò péngyou</span><span class="trans">be a friend</span>
+
* 做 律师 <span class="pinyin">zuò lǜshī</span><span class="trans">to be a lawyer</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 她 有 了 自己的 孩子,她 <em>做</em> <strong>妈妈</strong> 了。 <span class="pinyin">Tā yǒu le zìjǐ de háizi, tā <em> zuò </em> <strong> māma </strong> le.</span><span class="trans">She's got her own kid. She's a mom.</span>
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* 她 有 了 自己 的 孩子 ,她 <em>做</em> <strong>妈妈</strong> 了。 <span class="pinyin">Tā yǒu le zìjǐ de háizi, tā <em>zuò</em> <strong>māma</strong> le.</span><span class="trans">She's got her own kid. She's a mom now.</span>
* 你 是 <em>做</em> 什么 的? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì <em> zuò </em> shénme de?</span><span class="trans">What do you do for a living?</span>
+
* <em>做</em> 了 十 年 <strong>老师</strong> 了。 <span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> le shí nián <strong>lǎoshī</strong> le.</span><span class="trans">He's been a teacher for ten years.</span>
* 我的 朋友 是 <em>做</em> <strong>律师</strong> 的。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ de péngyou shì <em> zuò </em> <strong> lǜshī </strong> de.</span><span class="trans">My friend is a lawyer.</span>
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* 我的 朋友 是 <em>做</em> <strong>律师</strong> 的。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ de péngyou shì <em>zuò</em> <strong>lǜshī</strong> de.</span><span class="trans">My friend is a lawyer.</span>
* <em>做</em> 了 十 年 <strong>老师</strong> 了。 <span class="pinyin"><em> zuò </em> le shí nián <strong> lǎoshī </strong> le.</span><span class="trans">He's been a teacher for ten years.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
* <em></em> 报告<span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> bàogào</span><span class="trans">to make a report</span>
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* 作 报告<span class="pinyin">zuò bàogào</span><span class="trans">to make a report</span>
* <em></em> 测试<span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> cèshì</span><span class="trans">to take a test</span>
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* 作 测试<span class="pinyin">zuò cèshì</span><span class="trans">to take a test</span>
* <em></em> 比较<span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> bǐjiào</span><span class="trans">to make comparisons</span>
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* 作 比较<span class="pinyin">zuò bǐjiào</span><span class="trans">to make comparisons</span>
* <em></em> 回应<span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> huíyìng</span><span class="trans">to respond</span>
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* 作 回应<span class="pinyin">zuò huíyìng</span><span class="trans">to respond</span>
* <em></em> 演讲<span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> yǎnjiǎng</span><span class="trans">to make a presentation</span>
+
* 作 演讲<span class="pinyin">zuò yǎnjiǎng</span><span class="trans">to make a presentation</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
But nowadays 做 is preferred for all of these uses. You might see 作, but you don't need to use it yourself.
 
But nowadays 做 is preferred for all of these uses. You might see 作, but you don't need to use it yourself.
 
=== Example Sentences ===
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
*那个 正在 <em>作</em> 报告 的 人 是 谁?<span class="pinyin">Nàge zhèngzài <em>zuò</em> bàogào de rén shì shéi?</span><span class="trans">Who is the person who is making the report?</span>
 
*我们 明天 要 给 这个 新 的 系统 <em>作</em>  一 次 测试。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen míngtiān yào gěi zhège xīn de xìtǒng <em>zuò</em> yī cì cèshì.</span><span class="trans">We are giving this new system a test tomorrow.</span>
 
*你 不 要 总是 把 自己 的 孩子 和 别人 的 孩子 <em>作</em> 比较。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù yào zǒngshì bǎ zìjǐ de háizi hé biérén de háizi <em>zuò</em> bǐjiào.</span><span class="trans">You don't always have to compare your own children with other people's children.</span>
 
*关于 这件 事 他们 还 没 <em>作</em> 回应,我们 需要 再 等 一下。<span class="pinyin">Guānyú zhè jiàn shì tāmen hái méi <em>zuò</em>  huíyìng, wǒmen xūyào zài děng yīxià.</span><span class="trans">They haven't responded about this yet, we need to wait a bit longer.</span>
 
*明天 我 要 <em>作</em> 一 个 重要 的 演讲,所以 我 今天 要 好好 练习 一下。<span class="pinyin">Míngtiān wǒ yào <em>zuò</em> yī gè zhòngyào de yǎnjiǎng, suǒyǐ wǒ jīntiān yào hǎohǎo liànxí yīxià.</span><span class="trans">I have an important speech to give tomorrow, so I need to practice today.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
  
 
=== 作 is most commonly seen as part of other words ===
 
=== 作 is most commonly seen as part of other words ===
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<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
* 工 <em>作</em><span class="pinyin">gōng <em>zuò</em></span><span class="trans">work</span>
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* 工作 <span class="pinyin">gōngzuò </span><span class="trans">work</span>
*<em>作</em> 业<span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> yè</span><span class="trans">assignments</span>
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* 作业<span class="pinyin">zuòyè</span><span class="trans">assignments</span>
*<em>作</em> 文<span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> wén</span><span class="trans">essay</span>
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* 作文<span class="pinyin">zuòwén</span><span class="trans">essay</span>
*<em>作</em> 者<span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> zhě</span><span class="trans">writer</span>
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* 作者<span class="pinyin">zuòzhě</span><span class="trans">writer</span>
*<em>作</em> 弊<span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> bì</span><span class="trans">to cheat</span>
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* 作弊<span class="pinyin">zuòbì</span><span class="trans">to cheat</span>
*<em>作</em> 案<span class="pinyin"><em>zuò</em> àn</span><span class="trans">to commit a crime</span>
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* 作案<span class="pinyin">zuò'àn</span><span class="trans">to commit a crime</span>
</div>
 
 
 
=== Example Sentences ===
 
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
* 考试 的 时候 不 能 <em>作弊</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Kǎoshì de shíhou bù néng <em> zuòbì </em>.</span><span class="trans">You can't cheat on exams.</span>
 
* 这个 小偷 <em>作</em> 了 很 多 <strong>案</strong>,现在被抓住了。 <span class="pinyin">Zhège xiǎotōu <em> zuò </em> le hěn duō <strong> àn </strong>, xiànzài bèi zhuāzhù le.</span><span class="trans">This thief has committed many crimes and now he is caught.</span>
 
* 这个 书的 <em>作者</em> 是 谁? <span class="pinyin">Zhège shū de <em> zuòzhě </em> shì shéi?</span><span class="trans">Who is the author of this book?</span>
 
* 今天的 <em>作业</em> 是 写 一 篇 <em>作文</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān de <em> zuòyè </em> shì xiě yī piān <em> zuòwén </em>.</span><span class="trans">Today's homework is to write an essay.</span>
 
* 你 是 做 什么 <em>工作</em> 的? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì zuò shénme <em> gōngzuò </em> de?</span><span class="trans">What kind of work do you do?</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  

Latest revision as of 08:17, 6 May 2022

做 (zuò) and 作 (zuò) are both verbs that can be easily confused because both mean “to do” and are pronounced identically (both fourth tone). While these both mean “to do,” the use of these two words is different and rarely interchangeable. 做 is used very commonly both in informal and formal contexts, whereas 作 is used only in specific formal situations.











B1HSK4ASV4567
做 (zuò) 作 (zuò)
Meaning to do (work), to make (food, friends) (mostly for parts of other words)
Part of Speech verb verb
Formality flexible formal

Use 做 "to do" work or "to make" things

Common Phrases

In the following examples only 做 can be used.

  • 做 饭 zuò fànto cook
  • 做 生意 zuò shēngyito do business
  • 做 运动 zuò yùndòngto do sports
  • 做 工作 zuò gōngzuòto do work

Example Sentences

  • 我 不常 点 外卖,经常 自己 Wǒ bù cháng diǎn wàimài, jīngcháng zìjǐ zuò fàn .I don't order take-out often and cook my own food a lot.
  • 今天 的 作业 完 了。 Jīntiān de zuòyè zuò wán le.I finished my homework today.
  • 运动 让 人 心情 很 好。 zuò yùndòng ràng rén xīnqíng hěn hǎo.Doing exercise makes you feel good.
  • 我 今天 了 一 天 工作Wǒ jīntiān zuò le yī tiān gōngzuò.Today I worked all day long.
  • 你 平常 喜欢 什么? Nǐ píngcháng xǐhuan zuò shénme?What do you usually like to do?

Use 做 for "to be" certain roles

Common Phrases

  • 做 朋友 zuò péngyouto be a friend
  • 做 妈妈 zuò māmato be a mother
  • 做 老师 zuò lǎoshīto be a teacher
  • 做 律师 zuò lǜshīto be a lawyer

Example Sentences

  • 她 有 了 自己 的 孩子 ,她 妈妈 了。 Tā yǒu le zìjǐ de háizi, tā zuò māma le.She's got her own kid. She's a mom now.
  • 了 十 年 老师 了。 zuò le shí nián lǎoshī le.He's been a teacher for ten years.
  • 我的 朋友 是 律师 的。 Wǒ de péngyou shì zuò lǜshī de.My friend is a lawyer.

Use 作 only as parts of other words

作 as a standalone word used to be more common

It's true that 作 was once more commonly used instead of 做. You might see stuff like this:

  • 作 报告zuò bàogàoto make a report
  • 作 测试zuò cèshìto take a test
  • 作 比较zuò bǐjiàoto make comparisons
  • 作 回应zuò huíyìngto respond
  • 作 演讲zuò yǎnjiǎngto make a presentation

But nowadays 做 is preferred for all of these uses. You might see 作, but you don't need to use it yourself.

作 is most commonly seen as part of other words

In the following examples only 作 can be used, but it's not a standalone word here, it's simply a building block (called a morpheme in linguistics).

  • 工作 gōngzuò work
  • 作业zuòyèassignments
  • 作文zuòwénessay
  • 作者zuòzhěwriter
  • 作弊zuòbìto cheat
  • 作案zuò'ànto commit a crime

Sources and further reading

Websites