Meanings of 業
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Podcast: 業
Podcast: 業
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AI Study Notes for 業
职业 (zhí yè) vs 工作 (gōng zuò) — use 業 (yè) when emphasizing the concept of a profession or field of study, while 职业 (zhí yè) refers specifically to one's occupation and 工作 (gōng zuò) to the act of working.
Be mindful that 業 (yè) is often used in formal contexts, such as in professional titles or business names. Common collocations include '行業' (hángyè) meaning 'industry' and '業務' (yèwù) meaning 'business affairs.' Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like 也 (yě), which means 'also.'
While not part of the HSK vocabulary, 業 (yè) serves as a good bridge to other words related to work and study. Focus on its usage in combination with other characters, such as '職業' (zhíyè, profession) or '業績' (yèjì, achievements).
Learners often confuse 業 (yè) with 也 (yě), leading to sentences like '我在這個也工作' (Wǒ zài zhège yě gōngzuò), which is incorrect. The correct form is '我在這個業工作' (Wǒ zài zhège yè gōngzuò).
Pronunciation of 業
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Etymology of 業
Simplified form of 業. Origin unclear.
A musical instrument 业 made of wood 木
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 業
Simplified form of 業. Origin unclear.
- 1The giveawayA musical instrument 业 made of wood 木
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 業? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 業?
Decomposition of 業
Identify the Components
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How to say business, profession; to study, to work in Chinese
“business, profession; to study, to work” in Chinese is業
The character 業 (yè) primarily means business or profession and is often used in contexts related to work or industry. It can also imply the act of studying or working in a specific field, highlighting the importance of one's career or vocation in Chinese society.
When to use 業
Be mindful that 業 (yè) is often used in formal contexts, such as in professional titles or business names. Common collocations include '行業' (hángyè) meaning 'industry' and '業務' (yèwù) meaning 'business affairs.' Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like 也 (yě), which means 'also.'
業 or something close to it
职业 (zhí yè) vs 工作 (gōng zuò) — use 業 (yè) when emphasizing the concept of a profession or field of study, while 职业 (zhí yè) refers specifically to one's occupation and 工作 (gōng zuò) to the act of working.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 業 (yè) with 也 (yě), leading to sentences like '我在這個也工作' (Wǒ zài zhège yě gōngzuò), which is incorrect. The correct form is '我在這個業工作' (Wǒ zài zhège yè gōngzuò).
Write 業
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Practice writing 業 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 業
Compound Meaning
What does 企业 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 業
You can say '我在這個行業工作' (Wǒ zài zhège hángyè gōngzuò), meaning 'I work in this industry.'
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