创业

• Pinyin: chuàng yè
• Hanzi breakdown: 创 = 仓 (warehouse, phonetic) + 刂 (knife), meaning to create; 业 = simplified from 業, meaning business or profession

Meaning

To start a business; entrepreneurship. Refers to the act of founding and building a new enterprise.

Very common in modern Chinese, especially among younger generations. Often associated with the startup ecosystem. Collocates with 者 (entrepreneur), 公司 (company), and 精神 (entrepreneurial spirit). Can also mean to establish any new undertaking, not just businesses.

Examples

1. 他大学毕业以后决定自己创业。 After graduating from university, he decided to start his own business.
2. 现在越来越多的年轻人选择创业。 More and more young people are choosing to start businesses nowadays.
3. 创业虽然很辛苦，但是他觉得很值得。 Although starting a business is tough, he feels it is worth it.

Usage Guide

Context: business, career, social

Tone: aspirational

Do Say

• 她和朋友一起创业，开了一家咖啡店。(She started a business with her friend and opened a coffee shop.)
• 政府出台了很多支持创业的政策。(The government has introduced many policies to support entrepreneurship.)

Don't Say

• 我在大公司里创业 (Don't use 创业 for working at an established company — 创业 specifically means starting your own business; use 工作 or 上班 for regular employment)

Origin & History

Compound of 创 (create, initiate) and 业 (business, enterprise), literally 'create enterprise.'

Cultural Context

Generation: Younger adults

Social background: Universal