Chinese–EnglishWith examples

工作

gōng zuò · gong zuo

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 1Measure words: 个 gè, 份 fèn, 项 xiàng

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to work
  2. (of a machine) to operate
  3. job
  4. work
  5. task
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In a conversation

0:18 cartoon

What is your job?

  1. Leon

    你(nǐ)的(de)工作(gōngzuò)是(shì)什么(shénme)？

    What is your job?

  2. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)在(zài)学校(xuéxiào)工作(gōngzuò)。

    I work at a school.

  3. Liangliang

    他(tā)不是(bùshì)老师(lǎoshī)。他(tā)的(de)工作(gōngzuò)是(shì)做饭(zuòfàn)。

    He is not a teacher. His job is cooking.

  4. Dengdeng

    对(duì)。我(wǒ)的(de)工作(gōngzuò)很(hěn)忙(máng)！

    Right. My job is very busy!

  5. Leon

    你(nǐ)每天(měitiān)几点(jǐdiǎn)开始(kāishǐ)工作(gōngzuò)？

    What time do you start work every day?

  6. Dengdeng

    早上(zǎoshang)五点(wǔdiǎn)！要(yào)做(zuò)早饭(zǎofàn)。

    Five in the morning! I have to make breakfast.

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

Usage

工作 can mean a job, work in general, or the action of working.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

日(rì)本(běn)上(shàng)班(bān)族(zú)工(gōng)作(zuò)得(de)非(fēi)常(cháng)辛(xīn)苦(kǔ)。

Japanese office workers work very hard.

Tatoeba: Chinese by Martha · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

我(wǒ)的(de)姐(jiě)姐(jie)从(cóng)事(shì)英(yīng)语(yǔ)教(jiào)学(xué)工(gōng)作(zuò)。

My sister's work is teaching English.

Tatoeba: Chinese by ruicong · English by edelyn90 · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

Sources & licenses

How to write

Stroke order & practice

Choose a character to watch its strokes or trace it yourself.

Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
工
gōng

work; worker

作
zuò

to do; to engage in; to write; to compose

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

More words starting with GExplore words in context