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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "to work" in Chinese?
工作
gōng zuò
In Chinese, "to work" is 工作.
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Pronunciation
Say GOONG (flat, high tone) then ZWOH (falling tone). First stays level and high, second drops down.
Writing and usage
Two characters combine. 工 has three strokes in a grid pattern. 作 has seven strokes with a person radical.
Example sentence
她在公司工作。
She works at a company.
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How to remember 工作
工 looks like a simplified tool or work frame. 作 adds the meaning of doing or making. Together they mean labour.
Related words
- climb up 爬 pá
- insert 放 fàng
- look at 看 kàn
- make 做 zuò
- play 弹奏 tán zòu
- say 说 shuō
- think 想 xiǎng
- use 使用 shǐ yòng
- write 写 xiě
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 工作
How do you say "to work" in Chinese?
In Chinese, "to work" is 工作. It is a noun.
How is 工作 written in Chinese?
Two characters combine. 工 has three strokes in a grid pattern. 作 has seven strokes with a person radical.
How is 工作 used in a sentence?
Use 工作 as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: 她在公司工作。 (She works at a company.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
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"To work" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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