工作

Chinese
 
work; worker; skill
work; worker; skill; profession; trade; craft; labour
 
to regard as; to take (somebody) for; to do
to regard as; to take (somebody) for; to do; to make
simp. and trad.
(工作)		 工 作
anagram 作工

Pronunciation

Verb

工作

  1. to work (to be engaged in a mental or physical activity)
    帶病堅持工作／带病坚持工作  ―  dàibìng jiānchí gōngzuò  ―  to keep working despite being ill
    你以為我在工作，其實我在玩。 [MSC, trad.]
    你以为我在工作，其实我在玩。 [MSC, simp.]
    Nǐ yǐwéi wǒ zài gōngzuò, qíshí wǒ zài wán. [Pinyin]
    You thought I was working, but I was actually having fun.
  2. to work (to be employed)
    我在這裡工作已經十多年了。 [MSC, trad.]
    我在这里工作已经十多年了。 [MSC, simp.]
    Wǒ zài zhèlǐ gōngzuò yǐjīng shí duō nián le. [Pinyin]
    I've been working here for more than ten years.
    陳先生被原單位派遣到連鎖公司工作。 [MSC, trad.]
    陈先生被原单位派遣到连锁公司工作。 [MSC, simp.]
    Chén xiānsheng bèi yuándānwèi pàiqiǎn dào liánsuǒ gōngsī gōngzuò. [Pinyin]
    Mr. Chen was sent by his former organization to work at a chain company.
    他大學畢業後進入體制工作。 [MSC, trad.]
    他大学毕业后进入体制工作。 [MSC, simp.]
    Tā dàxué bìyè hòu jìnrù tǐzhì gōngzuò. [Pinyin]
    He went to work in the public sector after graduating from college.
  3. to work (to function properly)
    我的電腦不工作了。 [MSC, trad.]
    我的电脑不工作了。 [MSC, simp.]
    Wǒ de diànnǎo bù gōngzuò le. [Pinyin]
    My computer is not working.

Usage notes

There are many equivalents for English to work in Chinese, the most common and generic being 工作 (gōngzuò). Use 上班 (shàngbān) for shift work, 辦公／办公 (bàngōng) for office or administration work and 幹活／干活 (gànhuó) for physical work.

Synonyms
  • (to be engaged in a mental or physical activity, to be employed):
Dialectal synonyms of 工作 (“to work; to do work”) [map]
Variety Location Words
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 工作, 幹活
Mandarin Beijing 幹活兒
Taiwan 工作
Singapore 做工
Cantonese Guangzhou 做嘢, 做工
Hong Kong 做嘢
Taishan 做工
Singapore (Guangfu) 做工
Gan Nanchang 做事
Hakka Meixian 做事
Miaoli (N. Sixian) 做事
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 做事
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 做事
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 做事
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 做事
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 做事
Eastern Min Fuzhou 做事計
Southern Min Xiamen 做穡, 做工課
Taipei 作穡
New Taipei (Sanxia) 作穡
Kaohsiung 作穡的
Yilan 作穡
Changhua (Lukang) 作穡
Taichung 做工課, 作穡
Tainan 作穡
Hsinchu 做工仔, 做穡
Kinmen 做工
Penghu (Magong) 做穡
Penang (Hokkien) 做工
Singapore (Hokkien) 做工
Manila (Hokkien) 作穡, 做工, 做頭路
Shantou 做工, 做事, 做工課
Singapore (Teochew) 做工
Singapore (Hainanese) 做工
Southern Pinghua Nanning (Tingzi) 做工
  • (to be employed): (polite, chiefly in questions) 發財／发财 (fācái)

Antonyms
  • (antonym(s) of “work; to be engaged in an activity”): 歇息 (xiēxi)

Noun

工作

  1. (uncountable) work (employment)
    工作滿足感／工作满足感  ―  gōngzuò mǎnzúgǎn  ―  job satisfaction
    找不到工作  ―  zhǎobudào gōngzuò  ―  to be unable to find work
    我在這裡找工作。 [MSC, trad.]
    我在这里找工作。 [MSC, simp.]
    Wǒ zài zhèlǐ zhǎo gōngzuò. [Pinyin]
    I'm looking for work here.
    工作進行得很順利。 [MSC, trad.]
    工作进行得很顺利。 [MSC, simp.]
    Gōngzuò jìnxíng de hěn shùnlì. [Pinyin]
    Work is going well.
    大家都是從事哪些具體工作的？ [MSC, trad.]
    大家都是从事哪些具体工作的？ [MSC, simp.]
    Dàjiā dōu shì cóngshì nǎxiē jùtǐ gōngzuò de? [Pinyin]
    Specifically what kind of work is everybody doing?
  2. (countable) job (position) (Classifier: 份; 個／个)
    他大學畢業六個月了，一份工作都沒找到。 [MSC, trad.]
    他大学毕业六个月了，一份工作都没找到。 [MSC, simp.]
    Tā dàxué bìyè liù ge yuè le, yī fèn gōngzuò dōu méi zhǎo dào. [Pinyin]
    He graduated six months ago and still hasn't found a job.
    我的工作很辛苦，需要長途飛行。 [MSC, trad.]
    我的工作很辛苦，需要长途飞行。 [MSC, simp.]
    Wǒ de gōngzuò hěn xīnkǔ, xūyào chángtú fēixíng. [Pinyin]
    My job is very exhausting as I have to fly long distances.
    爸爸失去了工作，一家人的生活全靠媽媽支撐。 [MSC, trad.]
    爸爸失去了工作，一家人的生活全靠妈妈支撑。 [MSC, simp.]
    Bàba shīqù le gōngzuò, yījiārén de shēnghuó quán kào māma zhīchēng. [Pinyin]
    Dad lost his job, so the whole family had to be supported by mum.
  3. (countable, uncountable) task; job; work (something to do) (Classifier: 份 m; 項／项 m; 個／个)
    籌備工作／筹备工作  ―  chóubèi gōngzuò  ―  preparatory work
    基礎性工作／基础性工作  ―  jīchǔxìng gōngzuò  ―  groundwork
    宣傳思想工作／宣传思想工作  ―  xuānchuán sīxiǎng gōngzuò  ―  publicity and ideological work
    爸爸給我一個很重要的工作。 [MSC, trad.]
    爸爸给我一个很重要的工作。 [MSC, simp.]
    Bàba gěi wǒ yī ge hěn zhòngyào de gōngzuò. [Pinyin]
    Dad gave me a very important task.
  4. (archaic, countable) ingenious accomplishment (Classifier: 個／个)

Synonyms
  • (work):
Dialectal synonyms of 職業 (“job; occupation; profession”) [map]
Variety Location Words
Classical Chinese 職, 業
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 職業, 工作
Mandarin Taiwan 工作
Singapore 工, 工作
Cantonese Guangzhou 工
Hong Kong 工
Singapore (Guangfu) 工
Hakka Miaoli (N. Sixian) 頭路
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 頭路
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 頭路
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 頭路
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 頭路
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 頭路
Southern Min Xiamen 頭路, 工課, 穡路
Quanzhou 頭路, 工課, 穡路
Jinjiang 頭路
Zhangzhou 頭路, 工課, 穡路
Taipei 頭路
New Taipei (Sanxia) 頭路, 職業
Kaohsiung 工課, 頭路, 穡頭, 職業
Yilan 工課, 頭路, 職業
Changhua (Lukang) 工課, 頭路, 職業
Taichung 頭路, 工課, 穡頭
Tainan 工課, 頭路, 穡頭, 職業
Hsinchu 頭路, 工課
Kinmen 頭路, 工課
Penghu (Magong) 工課
Penang (Hokkien) 工課, 工
Singapore (Hokkien) 工, 頭路, 工課
Manila (Hokkien) 頭路
Jieyang 工課
Singapore (Teochew) 工, 工課
Singapore (Hainanese) 工
Wu Shanghai 工作, 生活, 生意, 行當, 飯碗 figuratively, 飯碗頭 figuratively
Shanghai (Chongming) 生活, 營生
Suzhou 行當
Danyang 生活
Ningbo 生活, 行當
Wenzhou 行當
Jinhua 行當, 事幹, 生活
Note GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified)

Derived terms

Descendants
Sino-Xenic (工作):

Others:

See also

Japanese
Kanji in this term
工 作
こう
Grade: 2		 さく
Grade: 2
kan’on

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): [ko̞ːsa̠kɯ̟ᵝ]

Noun

工(こう)作(さく) • (kōsaku) 

  1. handicraft, industrial art, woodwork
  2. underground negotiation of political, foreign relations
  3. activities of espionage

Derived terms

Verb

工(こう)作(さく)する • (kōsaku suru) suru (stem 工(こう)作(さく)し (kōsaku shi), past 工(こう)作(さく)した (kōsaku shita))

  1. to handcraft
  2. to construct
  3. to scheme

Conjugation
Conjugation of "工作する" (See Appendix:Japanese verbs.)
Katsuyōkei ("stem forms")
Mizenkei ("imperfective") 工作し こうさくし kōsaku shi
Ren’yōkei ("continuative") 工作し こうさくし kōsaku shi
Shūshikei ("terminal") 工作する こうさくする kōsaku suru
Rentaikei ("attributive") 工作する こうさくする kōsaku suru
Kateikei ("hypothetical") 工作すれ こうさくすれ kōsaku sure
Meireikei ("imperative") 工作せよ¹
工作しろ²		 こうさくせよ¹
こうさくしろ²		 kōsaku seyo¹
kōsaku shiro²
Key constructions
Passive 工作される こうさくされる kōsaku sareru
Causative 工作させる
工作さす		 こうさくさせる
こうさくさす		 kōsaku saseru
kōsaku sasu
Potential 工作できる こうさくできる kōsaku dekiru
Volitional 工作しよう こうさくしよう kōsaku shiyō
Negative 工作しない こうさくしない kōsaku shinai
Negative continuative 工作せず こうさくせず kōsaku sezu
Formal 工作します こうさくします kōsaku shimasu
Perfective 工作した こうさくした kōsaku shita
Conjunctive 工作して こうさくして kōsaku shite
Hypothetical conditional 工作すれば こうさくすれば kōsaku sureba
¹ Written imperative

² Spoken imperative

Korean
Hanja in this term
工作

Noun

工作 • (gongjak) (hangeul 공작)

  1. Hanja form? of 공작 (“crafts; maneuver, maneuvering”).

Vietnamese
chữ Hán Nôm in this term
工作

Noun

工作

  1. chữ Hán form of công tác (“mission; task”).
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