HSK · Level 40
120 words
Chinese word
干活儿
Pronunciation
Pinyingàn huór
Meaning
- verbwork
Example
大家周末一起在院子里干活儿。dà jiā zhōu mò yì qǐ zài yuàn zi lǐ gàn huór
Everyone works together in the yard on weekends.
More examples
她每天早上在家干活儿，帮家人做饭。tā měi tiān zǎo shàng zài jiā gàn huór bāng jiā rén zuò fàn
She works at home every morning, helping her family cook.
Core concept
Physical or practical activity carried out with the hands rather than work understood only as a job or career.
Common phrases
在家干活儿zài jiā gàn huór
work at home
Similar words
干活gàn huó: Covers doing practical tasks by hand, often around the home, on a farm, or at a work site.
做事zuò shì: Means handling tasks or everyday affairs that need to be completed.
工作gōng zuò: Means working as part of a job or profession, especially in a workplace.
Definition in Chinese
用手做具体的活儿，通常指家务、田间或现场的体力或实务性工作，是口语常用的动词短语。yòng shǒu zuò jù tǐ de huór tōng cháng zhǐ jiā wù tián jiān huò xiàn chǎng de tǐ lì huò shí wù xìng gōng zuò shì kóu yǔ cháng yòng de dòng cí duán yǔ
Word origin
In 干活儿 (gànhuóér, "hands-on work"), 干 (gàn, "do") is paired with 活儿 (huóér, "task or work"), creating a spoken expression for getting tasks done.
Usage tips
- The phrase covers household jobs as well as outdoor and work-site tasks, so it is not limited to activity inside the home.