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HSK 3

作业

homework; assignment

nounneutral
作
zuò4th tone
业
yè4th tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
zuòyè
Part of speech
noun
Level
HSK 3
Strokes
12
Register
neutral
Measure word
份 / 个

Stroke order for 作业

作业 is written with 12 strokes (作: 7, 业: 5). The animation replays automatically.

What does 作业 mean?

作业 (zuòyè) means 'homework' or 'assignment' — the schoolwork a teacher gives students to complete, usually outside of class.

It is the standard word used by parents, teachers, and students from kindergarten through university. Two notes for English speakers: first, the verb that pairs with 作业 is 做 (zuò) 'to do' — 做作业 'do homework' — not 写 ('write') unless you specifically mean writing it out; '写作业' is also common and natural in spoken Chinese for written assignments.

Second, in technical or industrial contexts 作业 keeps a broader sense of 'operation' or 'task' (高空作业 high-altitude work, 野外作业 fieldwork), but learners will meet it almost exclusively in the school sense. For 'workbook' use 练习本 (liànxí běn), and for 'exercise / drill' use 练习 (liànxí).

Note: Standard word for school assignments at every level — from kindergarten to university. In professional/military contexts it can also mean 'operation / task' (野外作业 fieldwork), but the school meaning dominates everyday use.

Character by character

作zuòdo; make; produce
+
业yètrade; profession; task; course of study
=
作业

Memory hook: 作 'do' + 业 'study/task' = the work-to-be-done for your studies.

Example sentences

我还没做完作业。

Wǒ hái méi zuòwán zuòyè.

I haven't finished my homework yet.

spoken

老师今天给了我们很多作业。

Lǎoshī jīntiān gěi le wǒmen hěn duō zuòyè.

The teacher gave us a lot of homework today.

neutral

请大家明天交作业。

Qǐng dàjiā míngtiān jiāo zuòyè.

Everyone please hand in your homework tomorrow.

neutral

他每天晚上写作业写到十点。

Tā měitiān wǎnshang xiě zuòyè xiě dào shí diǎn.

Every night he does homework until ten o'clock.

spoken

妈妈在检查我的作业。

Māma zài jiǎnchá wǒ de zuòyè.

Mom is checking my homework.

spoken

Common phrases with 作业

做作业zuò zuòyèdo homework
写作业xiě zuòyèdo/write homework
交作业jiāo zuòyèhand in homework
检查作业jiǎnchá zuòyècheck homework
家庭作业jiātíng zuòyèhome assignment (formal term used by schools)

Synonyms

功课gōngkè

功课 is a slightly older or more Taiwan-flavored word for schoolwork/lessons; mainland mainland speakers say 作业 in daily life. '做功课' is fine but sounds a touch formal or Cantonese-influenced.

练习liànxí

练习 means 'exercise / practice / drill' — the individual problems in a textbook or workbook. 作业 is the full assignment a teacher hands out. Many 作业 contain multiple 练习.

任务rènwù

任务 = 'task / mission,' broader and more formal — used at work or in projects, not for school homework. 'Teacher gave us a 作业' but 'boss gave me a 任务.'

Don't confuse 作业 with

工作gōngzuò

工作 means 'work / job' for adults. 作业 is school homework. Saying '我有很多工作' means 'I have a lot of work' (job duties), not homework.

做zuò

作 (in 作业) and 做 (in 做作业) are easy to mix up. Both are pronounced zuò and overlap; modern usage: 做作业 (verb 做 + noun 作业) is the most common spoken phrasing. The 作 in 作业 is the noun-forming half.

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