做 zuò
to do / to make
做 (zuò) means "to do" or "to make". It's the action word for everything: 做饭, 做运动, 做作业. Add 在 before it and you can describe what you're doing right now.
How to use 做
你在做什么？
What are you doing?
我在做 ___
I'm doing ___
你想做什么？
What do you want to do?
我要做 ___
I need to do ___
Words used with 做
做
zuò
to do / to make
做什么
zuò shénme
do what / what are you doing
怎么做
zěnme zuò
how to do
事情
shìqing
thing / matter
工作
gōngzuò
work / job
作业
zuòyè
homework
Frequently asked questions
What does 做 (zuò) mean in Chinese?
做 (zuò) means "to do / to make" in Chinese. 做 (zuò) means "to do" or "to make". It's the action word for everything: 做饭, 做运动, 做作业. Add 在 before it and you can describe what you're doing right now.
How do you use 做 in a sentence?
The core pattern is "你在做什么？" (What are you doing?). Once you know this block, you can reuse it with many other words to build full sentences.
What words are commonly used with 做?
Common words that pair with 做 include 做, 做什么, 怎么做. Learning these together helps you build complete, natural sentences instead of isolated vocabulary.
What is the difference between 做 (zuò) and 是 (shì)?
Both are high-frequency Chinese words taught early in Speak1000. 做 means "to do / to make"; 是 means "to be". The fastest way to tell them apart is to hear each one used in real sentences — our free lessons drill every word in context so the contrast becomes natural.
Related Chinese concepts
Hear 做 used in real sentences
The fastest way to remember 做 (zuò) is to hear it used naturally. Start free and practice with audio from day one.
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