Comparing "gan" and "zuo"
干 (gàn) and 做 (zuò) are both verbs that mean "to do" as in "to do work" or "to have nothing to do." 做 can be used in both formal and informal settings, whereas 干 is used more often in informal speech and writing. A key difference between these words is that 做 also can mean "to make," whereas 干 does not have any similar usage.
| 干 (gàn) | 做 (zuò) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | to do | to do, to make |
| Part of Speech | verb | verb |
| Formality | informal | flexible |
Contents
干 has some common informal set phrases
These phrases are common in informal speech and writing (such as on WeChat), so you should really know them.
Common Phrases
- 干 活 to work
- 干 吗 to do what
Example Sentences
- 你 在 干吗？我 想 请 你 帮 我 一 个 忙。 What are you doing? I'd like to ask you to do me a favor.
- 我 干 过 很多 活儿，但是 都 是 体力 活儿。 I've done a lot of work, but it's all manual work.
- 自行车 被 偷 了，这 是 他 干 的，不 是 我 干 的。 The bike was stolen. It was his doing, not mine.
- 我 是 一 个 快递员，每天 要 干 十二 个 小时 的 活儿，很 累。 I'm a courier and I work twelve hours a day, which is very tiring.
- 有时候 孩子 很 努力 帮 我们 干活 ， 我 会 奖励 他 一个 巧克力 。 Sometimes I would reward my child with a chocolate when he worked hard for us.
做 meaning "to do" has some common set phrases
Common Phrases
- 做 手术 to perform surgery
- 做 测试 to doing tests
- 做 运动 to doing sports
- 做 作业 to doing homework
Example Sentences
- 我 昨天 做 了 手术。 I had my surgery yesterday.
- 最近 我 每天 都 做 运动。 I've been doing exercise every day lately.
- 我 没有 做 作业。 I haven't done my homework.
- 做 瑜伽 可以 帮助 你 放松 心情 。 Doing yoga helps you to relax your mind .
- 因为 有 疫情，所以 我 需要 做 核酸 测试。 I have to do a nucleic acid test because of the epidemic.
做 and 干 are often interchangeable
Just keep in mind that 干 is only suitable for informal language. Don't replace a 做 with 干 in a formal setting!
Common Phrases
- 做 什么 / 干 什么to do what
Example Sentences
- 这 是 你 干 的 吗 ？ Did you do this?
- 你 是 做 什么 的？ What do you do?
- 你 周末 准备 干 什么 ？ What are you going to do on the weekend?
- 我 相信 你们 ， 这 件 事 却 不 能 这样 做 。 I trust you, but this is not the way to do it.
做 can mean "to make"
Common Phrases
- 做 计划to make plans
- 做 决定 to make decisions
- 做爱 to make love
Example Sentences
- 这 件 事情 需要 你 自己 做 决定。 Are you friends? Or a couple? Have you ever made love?
- 每 次 去 旅游，我 都 会 做 计划。 When I grow up, my parents want me to be a doctor.
- 你们 是 朋友 吗？还是 情侣？你们 有 没有 做 过 爱？ I don't want to be friends with you.
做 can mean "to be"
Common Phrases
- 做 朋友be a friend
- 做 医生be a doctor
Example Sentences
- 长大 以后，父母 希望 我 做 一 个 医生。 This is something you need to make your own decisions about.
- 我 不 想 和 你 做 朋友。 Whenever I go on a trip, I make plans.
