HSK 5 · Function Words

作为 zuòwéi “as (in the role of)” in Chinese

Traditional 作為

What 作为 means

  1. as (in the role of)
  2. to regard as
  3. conduct
  4. one’s conduct
  5. deed
More meanings from CC-CEDICT
  • activity
  • accomplishment
  • achievement
  • to act as

How to say 作为

  • Pitch chart of the fourth tone: falls from high to low, 5 to 1 on the five-level scale作zuò4th tone, falling
  • Pitch chart of the second tone: rises from mid to high, 3 to 5 on the five-level scale为wéi2nd tone, rising

作为 in a sentence

  1. 我爸爸买了个相机作为我的生日礼物。

    Wǒ bàba mǎi le ge xiàngjī zuòwéi wǒ de shēngrì lǐwù.

    My dad bought me a camera as a birthday present.

    Sentence #13994827 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

  2. 她养一只鹦鹉作为宠物。

    Tā yǎng yì zhī yīngwǔ zuòwéi chǒngwù.

    She keeps a parrot as a pet.

    Sentence #891328 from Tatoeba · converted to simplified characters

  3. 你必须付三个月的房租作为押金。

    Nǐ bìxū fù sān ge yuè de fángzū zuòwéi yājīn.

    You have to pay three months’ rent as a bond.

    Sentence #2003190 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

How 作为 is built

Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.

The character 作 (zuò) with each of its parts in a different colour
作zuòto do; to engage in
  • 亻person form of 人 · rén
  • 乍first time · zhà

Memory aidPerson 亻 with 乍 (zhà) for the sound: to make, to do.

The character 为 (wèi) with each of its parts in a different colour
为wéias
  • 丶dot · zhǔ
  • 力strength · lì
  • 丶dot · zhǔ

How to write 作为

作 7 strokes · 为 4 strokes

Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

作为 (zuòwéi) stroke order chart: each stroke of the characters in the order you write them
Stroke order chart for 作为 (zuòwéi). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.

Words related to 作为

Words with 作

工作gōngzuò · to work作业zuòyè · school assignment工作日gōngzuòrì · working day作者zuòzhě · author作家zuòjiā · writer动作dòngzuò · movement作用zuòyòng · effect制作zhìzuò · to make写作xiězuò · writing作文zuòwén · to write an essay

Words with 为

因为yīnwèi · because为什么wèishénme · why为wèi · for认为rènwéi · believe为了wèile · in order to以为yǐwéi · to think (wrongly)成为chéngwéi · to become行为xíngwéi · action为期wéiqī · to last for (a period)人为rénwéi · man-made

More words: Function Words & Grammar

自动zìdòng · automatic总共zǒnggòng · altogether总算zǒngsuàn · at long last总之zǒngzhī · in a word甭béng · don’t本人běnrén · I本身běnshēn · itself便于biànyú · easy to

FAQs

作为 (zuòwéi) means “as (in the role of)” or “to regard as”. It is an HSK 5 word.
Say it zuòwéi: zuò with a 4th tone, then wéi with a 2nd tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
In Traditional characters, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, 作为 is written 作為. The pronunciation is the same.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type zuowei with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 作为 from the suggestions. Typing zuowei into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
作为 is an HSK 5 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.