工作
gōngzuò
work / job
工作 is the most common word for work or job in Mandarin. It appears in both formal and casual settings and is essential for professional and daily conversations.
Example sentences
你的工作是什么？
Nǐ de gōngzuò shì shénme?
What is your job?
我在北京工作。
Wǒ zài Běijīng gōngzuò.
I work in Beijing.
How to use 工作 in practice
工作 is a work & study item that is easiest to learn inside a complete sentence. Read it with the pinyin gōngzuò, then connect it to the meaning “work / job” before trying to use it from memory. The examples on this page show the phrase in context: 你的工作是什么？ / 我在北京工作。.
When you practice 工作, do not stop at recognition. Say one example aloud, swap in a new person, place, object, or time word, and then use the phrase in a short answer. This turns a glossary entry into real Mandarin output and exposes word-order or pronunciation mistakes quickly.
Common learner mistake
A common learner mistake is to memorize 工作 only as “work / job” and then translate word by word from English. Instead, learn the whole chunk with the words around it. Notice which nouns, verbs, measure words, or polite markers appear before and after the phrase, and copy that pattern in your own sentence.
Mini practice prompt
Practice prompt: open Workplace office phrases guide, start a short conversation, and use 工作 naturally in your first or second reply. If the sentence feels awkward, compare it with the examples above and try again with a smaller sentence.
Memory tip: review 工作 tomorrow by covering the English meaning, reading only gōngzuò, and producing a sentence before checking the examples. Active recall helps this word survive beyond one reading session.
Practice related pages
FAQ
How do you say "find a job" in Chinese?
找工作. 找 means to look for or find, so 找工作 literally means look-for-work.
How can I remember 工作 faster?
Say 工作 inside a full sentence, change one detail, and repeat it in a realistic prompt. The combination of sound, meaning, and context is stronger than memorizing the translation alone.
Can I use 工作 in conversation practice?
Yes. Start with the example sentence, then use 工作 in a short AI conversation so you can see whether the surrounding word order and tone feel natural.
Published by AI Chinese Coach