做法

• Pinyin: zuò fǎ
• Hanzi breakdown: 做 = 亻 (person radical) + 故 (phonetic); 法 = 氵 (water) + 去 (to go), originally meaning 'rule/standard'

Meaning

Method; way of doing; approach. The manner or technique used to do something, especially in cooking.

Has two main uses: (1) the method or approach to doing something, and (2) a cooking recipe or method of preparation. In cooking contexts, 做法 is very common — asking for the 做法 of a dish means asking how to make it.

Examples

1. 这道菜的做法很简单。 The method for this dish is very simple.
2. 你的做法是对的。 Your approach is correct.
3. 请你教我这个蛋糕的做法。 Please teach me how to make this cake.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, everyday, problem-solving

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 这个菜的做法你知道吗？(Do you know how to make this dish?)
• 他的做法很聪明。(His approach is very clever.)

Don't Say

• 你的做法做了什么？(This is redundant — just say 你是怎么做的？ to ask how someone did something.)

Origin & History

Compound of 做 (to do/make) and 法 (method/law), literally 'method of doing.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal