Correct
作 vs 做
/ zuō vs zuò /
Strokes
Formula
1
枪声大作 (heavy fighting broke out)
2
雷雨大作 (a fierce thunderstorm broke out)
3
一鼓作气 (press on to the finish without letup)
4
作怪 (stir up trouble)
5
作出努力 (make efforts)
6
作出成绩 (make achievements)
7
作分析 (make analysis)
8
作画 (draw a painting)
9
作曲 (compose a piece of music)
10
当作老师 (regard him as a teacher)
11
过期作废 (invalid after the expiry date)
12
大作 (masterpiece)
13
近作 (recent works)
14
拙作 (hum poor works)
15
弄虚作假 (practise fraud)
16
扭捏作态 (hem and haw)
17
装模做样 (be affected)
18
作调查 (conduct a survey)
19
作分析 (make analysis)
20
作（做）课本 (take as a textbook)
21
作（做）原料 (take as raw materials)
22
作（做）证明 (take as a certificate)
23
做（作）老师 (be a teacher)
24
做（作）爸爸 (be a father)
25
做（作）官 (be an official)
26
做（作）个好学生 (be a good student)
27
做（作）谓语 (be predicate)
28
做生意 (do business)
29
做事 (work)
30
做头发 (do hair style)
31
做节目 (produce programs)
32
做家具 (make furniture)
33
做朋友 (be friends)
34
做兄弟 (be brothers)
35
做敌人 (be enemies)
Definition
作 and 做 both are Verb, which means [do; make].
作 often indicates abstract action, while 做 means concrete action; however, there are a few exceptions. In recent years, the meanings of the two words have changed a little.
Example
作 is used to mean "to happen, to take place to appear".
枪声大作 (heavy fighting broke out)
雷雨大作 (a fierce thunderstorm broke out)
一鼓作气 (press on to the finish without letup)
作怪 (stir up trouble)
1
Wàimiàn
外面
léiyǔ
雷雨
dàzuò
大作
,
tiān
天
hěnkuài
很快
jiù
就
hēi
黑
le
了
xiàlai
下来
。
There was a thunderstorm outside, and it soon got dark.
2
Tā
他
juéde
觉得
nǚrén
女人
bù
不
néng
能
zuòhǎo
做好
zhège
这个
gōngzuò
工作
,
zhè
这
dōu
都
shì
是
dà
大
nánzǐ
男子
zhǔyì
主义
zài
在
zuòguài
作怪
。
He felt that women could not do this job well, and that all about male chauvinism.
作 is used to indicate doing something when their object is a concrete disyllabic noun.
作出努力 (make efforts)
作出成绩 (make achievements)
作分析 (make analysis)
3
Zhège
这个
gǎngwèi
岗位
bù
不
shìhé
适合
tā
他
,
tā
他
zài
在
zhèlǐ
这里
bùhuì
不会
zuōchū
作出
chéngjì
成绩
de
的
。
This position is not for him, and he will not make achievements here.
4
Xiān
先
huā
花
diǎn
点
shíjiān
时间
dòu
读
wán
完
zhè
这
piān
篇
wénzhāng
文章
bā
吧
,
ránhòu
然后
zài
再
zuō
作
fēnxī
分析
。
Take a moment to read this article before you analyze it.
作 is used to mean "to write; to compose".
作画 (draw a painting)
作曲 (compose a piece of music)
5
Tā
他
zhěngtiān
整天
dōu
都
zàijiā
在家
zuōhuà
作画
。
He paints at home all day.
6
Tā
他
zǎo
早
zài
在
1989
1989
nián
年
jiù
就
kāishǐ
开始
zuòqǔ
作曲
le
了
。
He began composing music as early as 1989.
作 is used to mean "to regard as".
当作老师 (regard him as a teacher)
过期作废 (invalid after the expiry date)
作 is used to mean "created work".
大作 (masterpiece)
近作 (recent works)
拙作 (hum poor works)
7
Tā
他
de
的
xiǎoshuō
小说
dàzuò
大作
jīnglì
经历
sān
三
nián
年
zhōngyú
终于
wánchéng
完成
le
了
。
His novel masterpiece took three years to finally complete.
作 is used to mean "to pretend; to be affected".
弄虚作假 (practise fraud)
扭捏作态 (hem and haw)
装模做样 (be affected)
8
Shēnghuó
生活
zhōng
中
zuì
最
shǐ
使
rén
人
jīnpílìjìn
筋疲力尽
de
的
shì
事
shì
是
lòngxūzuòjiǎ
弄虚作假
。
The most exhausting thing in life is being insincere.
作 can be placed before a disyllabic verb to mean "to carry on".
作调查 (conduct a survey)
作分析 (make analysis)
9
Tā
他
zhèngzài
正在
zuō
作
shìchǎng
市场
diàochá
调查
。
He is doing market research.
作 and 做 both used to mean "to use as".
作（做）课本 (take as a textbook)
作（做）原料 (take as raw materials)
作（做）证明 (take as a certificate)
10
Zhèzhǒng
这种
cáiliào
材料
kěyǐ
可以
yòng
用
lái
来
zuō
作
(
zuò
做
)
diànchí
电池
de
的
yuánliào
原料
。
This material can be used as a raw material for batteries.
做 is used to mean "to be or to act as"; and 作 is also used recently.
做（作）老师 (be a teacher)
做（作）爸爸 (be a father)
做（作）官 (be an official)
做（作）个好学生 (be a good student)
做（作）谓语 (be predicate)
11
Tā
他
zhèngzài
正在
nǔlì
努力
zuò
做
(
zuō
作
)
gè
个
hǎo
好
bàba
爸爸
。
He's trying to be a good dad.
做 is used to indicate doing something when their object is a concrete noun, “do” is OK.
做生意 (do business)
做事 (work)
做头发 (do hair style)
做节目 (produce programs)
12
Tā
他
zuìjìn
最近
zài
在
zuò
做
shénme
什么
shēngyì
生意
?
What business has he been doing lately?
13
Tā
她
xiàwǔ
下午
xiǎng
想
qù
去
zuò
做
tóufa
头发
。
She wants to have her hair cut this afternoon.
做 is used to mean "to manufacture".
做家具 (make furniture)
14
Tā
他
zuò
做
de
的
jiājù
家具
yòu
又
hǎokàn
好看
yòu
又
jiēshí
结实
。
The furniture he made was beautiful and sturdy.
做 is used to mean "to form certain relationship".
做朋友 (be friends)
做兄弟 (be brothers)
做敌人 (be enemies)
15
Nǐ
你
néng
能
hé
和
wǒ
我
zuò
做
péngyou
朋友
ma
吗
?
Can you be my friend?