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

 
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做 and 作 both are verbs that can be easily confused because both mean “to do” and are pronounced “ zuò” (fourth tone). While these both mean “to do”, the use of these two words is very different and almost always not interchangeable. 做 is used very commonly in both in informal/formal situations, whereas 作 is used only in formal situations.  
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(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.  
  
<table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
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{{SimilarWordsCol1||zuò|to do (work), to make (food, friends)|verb|flexible}}
<tr>
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{{SimilarWordsCol2|作|zuò|(mostly for parts of other words)|verb|formal}}
<th style="width:24%"> </th>
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{{SimilarWordsPageInfo|B1|HSK4|ASV4567}}
<th style="width:33%">(zuò)</th>
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{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
<th style="width:33%">作 (zuò)</th>
 
</tr>
 
<tr>
 
<th>Meaning</th><td>to do (work with your hands, cooking, make friends)</td><td class="liju">to do (thought out or abstract undertakings)</td>
 
</tr>
 
<tr>
 
<th>Part of Speech</th><td>verb</td><td class="liju">verb</td>
 
</tr>
 
<tr>
 
<th>Formality</th><td>flexible</td><td class="liju">formal</td>
 
</tr>
 
</table>
 
  
== To say to say do work with your hands like making clothes or making food use 做. ==
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== Use 做 "to do" work or "to make" things ==
  
 
=== Common Phrases ===
 
=== Common Phrases ===
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<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
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* 做 饭 <span class="pinyin">zuò  fàn</span><span class="trans">to cook</span>
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* 做 生意 <span class="pinyin">zuò shēngyi</span><span class="trans">to do business</span>
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* 做 运动 <span class="pinyin">zuò yùndòng</span><span class="trans">to do sports</span>
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* 做 工作 <span class="pinyin">zuò gōngzuò</span><span class="trans">to do work</span>
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</div>
  
* 做衣服
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=== Example Sentences ===
* 做饭
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* 做工
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<div class="liju">
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* 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>
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* 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>
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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>
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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>
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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>
  
== To say make friends use . ==
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== Use for "to be" certain roles ==
  
 
=== Common Phrases ===
 
=== Common Phrases ===
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
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* 做 朋友 <span class="pinyin">zuò péngyou</span><span class="trans">to be a friend</span>
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* 做 妈妈 <span class="pinyin">zuò māma</span><span class="trans">to be a mother</span>
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* 做 老师 <span class="pinyin">zuò lǎoshī</span><span class="trans">to be a teacher</span>
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* 做 律师 <span class="pinyin">zuò lǜshī</span><span class="trans">to be a lawyer</span>
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</div>
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=== Example Sentences ===
  
* 做朋友
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<div class="liju">
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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>
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* 他 <em>做</em> 了 十 年 <strong>老师</strong> 了。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zuò</em> le shí nián <strong>lǎoshī</strong> le.</span><span class="trans">He's been a teacher for ten years.</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>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Sometimes to say “to be” also uses 做. ==
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== Use 作 only as parts of other words ==
  
=== Common Phrases ===
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=== 作 as a standalone word used to be more common ===
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It's true that 作 was once more commonly used instead of 做. You might see stuff like this:
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
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* 作 报告<span class="pinyin">zuò bàogào</span><span class="trans">to make a report</span>
* 做父亲
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* 作 测试<span class="pinyin">zuò cèshì</span><span class="trans">to take a test</span>
* 做母亲
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* 作 比较<span class="pinyin">zuò bǐjiào</span><span class="trans">to make comparisons</span>
* 做演员
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* 作 回应<span class="pinyin">zuò huíyìng</span><span class="trans">to respond</span>
* 做客
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* 作 演讲<span class="pinyin">zuò yǎnjiǎng</span><span class="trans">to make a presentation</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== To say to do a thought out or abstract undertakings use . ==
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But nowadays 做 is preferred for all of these uses. You might see 作, but you don't need to use it yourself.
  
=== Common Phrases ===
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=== 作 is most commonly seen as part of other words ===
  
In the following examples only 作 can be used.
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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).
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
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* 工作 <span class="pinyin">gōngzuò </span><span class="trans">work</span>
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* 作业<span class="pinyin">zuòyè</span><span class="trans">assignments</span>
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* 作文<span class="pinyin">zuòwén</span><span class="trans">essay</span>
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* 作者<span class="pinyin">zuòzhě</span><span class="trans">writer</span>
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* 作弊<span class="pinyin">zuòbì</span><span class="trans">to cheat</span>
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* 作案<span class="pinyin">zuò'àn</span><span class="trans">to commit a crime</span>
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</div>
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== Sources and further reading ==
  
* 作报告
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=== Websites ===
* 作奋斗
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* 作者
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* [https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/16095504.html “做”和“作”的区别?]
* 作文
 
</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