Difference between revisions of "Comparing "gan" and "zuo""

Line 32: Line 32:
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
* 做手术
+
* <em>做</em> 手术 <span class="pinyin"><em> zuò </em> shǒushù</span><span class="trans">to perform surgery</span>
* 做测试
+
* <em>做</em> 测试 <span class="pinyin"><em> zuò </em> cèshì</span><span class="trans">to doing tests</span>
* 做运动
+
* <em>做</em> 运动 <span class="pinyin"><em> zuò </em> yùndòng</span><span class="trans">to doing sports</span>
* 做作业
+
* <em>做</em> 作业 <span class="pinyin"><em> zuò </em> zuòyè</span><span class="trans">to doing homework</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  

Revision as of 08:27, 29 April 2022

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.











B1HSK4ASV4567
干 (gàn) 做 (zuò)
Meaning to do to do, to make
Part of Speech verb verb
Formality informal flexible

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

  • gàn huóto work
  • gàn mato do what

Example Sentences

  • 你 在 干吗?我 想 请 你 帮 我 一 个 忙。 Nǐ zài gànmá ? wǒ xiǎng qǐng nǐ bāng wǒ yī gè máng.What are you doing? I'd like to ask you to do me a favor.
  • 过 很多 活儿,但是 都 是 体力 活儿。 gàn guo hěn duō huór , dànshì dōu shì tǐlì huór.I've done a lot of work, but it's all manual work.
  • 自行车 被 偷 了,这 是 他 的,不 是 我 的。 Zìxíngchē bèi tōu le, zhè shì tā gàn de, bù shì wǒ gàn de.The bike was stolen. It was his doing, not mine.
  • 我 是 一 个 快递员,每天 要 十二 个 小时 的 活儿,很 累。 Wǒ shì yī gè kuàidì yuán, měi tiān yào gàn shí'èr gè xiǎoshí de huór , hěn lèi.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 。 Yǒu shíhou háizi hěn nǔlì bāng wǒmen gànhuó , wǒ huì jiǎnglì tā yī gè qiǎokèlì.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

  • 手术 zuò shǒushùto perform surgery
  • 测试 zuò cèshìto doing tests
  • 运动 zuò yùndòngto doing sports
  • 作业 zuò zuòyèto doing homework

Example Sentences

  • 我昨天做了手术。
  • 最近我每天都做运动。
  • 我没有做作业。
  • 做 瑜伽 可以 帮助 你 放松 心情 。
  • 因为有疫情,所以我要做核酸测试。

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

Example Sentences

  • 这 是 你 干 的 吗 ?
  • 这 是 你 做 的 吗 ?
  • 你是干什么的?
  • 你是做什么的?
  • 你 周末 准备 干什么 ?
  • 你 周末 准备 做什么 ?
  • 我 相信 你们 , 这 件 事 却 不 能 这样 干 。
  • 我 相信 你们 , 这 件 事 却 不 能 这样 做 。

做 can mean "to make"

Common Phrases

  • 做计划
  • 做决定
  • 做爱

Example Sentences

  • 这件事情需要你自己做决定。
  • 每次去旅游,我都会做计划。
  • 你们是朋友吗?还是情侣?你们有没有做过爱?

做 can mean "to be"

Common Phrases

  • 做朋友
  • 做医生

Example Sentences

  • 长大以后,父母希望我做一个医生。
  • 我不想和你做朋友。

Sources and further reading

Websites