Comparing the two "zuo"
做 (zuò) and 作 (zuò) are both verbs that can be easily confused because both mean “to do” and are pronounced identically. 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) | 作 (zuò) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | to do (work), to make (food, friends) | (mostly for parts of other words) |
| Part of Speech | verb | verb |
| Formality | flexible | formal |
Contents
Use 做 "to do" work or "to make" things
Common Phrases
In the following examples only 做 can be used.
- 做 饭
- 做 生意
- 做 运动
- 做 工作
Example Sentences
- 我不常点外卖，经常自己做饭。
- 今天的作业我做完了。
- 做运动让人心情很愉快。
- 我今天做了一天工作。
- 你平常喜欢做什么？
Use 做 for “to be” certain roles
Common Phrases
- 做妈妈
- 做老师
- 做律师
- 做朋友
Example Sentences
- 她有了自己的孩子，她做妈妈了。
- 你是做什么的？
- 我的朋友是做律师的。
- 他做了十年老师了。
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to make a report
- 作 测试to take a test
- 作 比较to make comparisons
- 作 回应to respond
- 作 演讲to 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.
Example Sentences
- 那个 正在 作 报告 的 人 是 谁？Who is the person who is making the report?
- 我们 明天 要 给 这个 新 的 系统 作 一 次 测试。We are giving this new system a test tomorrow.
- 你 不 要 总是 把 自己 的 孩子 和 别人 的 孩子 作 比较。You don't always have to compare your own children with other people's children.
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work
- 作 业assignments
- 作 文essay
- 作 者writer
- 作 弊to cheat
- 作 案to commit a crime
