作为

• Pinyin: zuò wéi
• Hanzi breakdown: 作 = 亻(person radical) + 乍 (to make/act, phonetic); 为 = simplified from 為, originally depicting an elephant being guided — meaning 'to do/act'

Meaning

As; in the capacity of (preposition); to treat as; to regard as (verb); conduct; achievements (noun).

作为 is highly versatile. As a preposition, it introduces a role or identity: 作为一名教师 (as a teacher). As a verb, it means to treat something as or use it as: 把这次失败作为教训 (treat this failure as a lesson). As a noun, it means accomplishments or conduct: 他很有作为 (he has achieved a great deal). It is common in both spoken and written Chinese.

Examples

1. 作为公司的代表，他出席了这次重要的国际会议。 As the company's representative, he attended this important international conference.
2. 我们应该把这次经历作为提高自己的机会。 We should treat this experience as an opportunity to improve ourselves.
3. 她在教育领域很有作为，帮助了很多贫困地区的孩子。 She has achieved a great deal in the field of education, helping many children in impoverished areas.

Usage Guide

Context: work, formal, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 作为学生，我们应该认真学习。(As students, we should study diligently.)
• 他把这份工作作为实现梦想的起点。(He treats this job as the starting point for realising his dream.)

Don't Say

• 不要把'作为'和'认为'混用 — '作为'表示角色或对待方式，'认为'表示个人看法 (Don't confuse 作为 with 认为 — 作为 expresses a role or how something is treated, while 认为 means 'to think/believe')

Origin & History

作 (to do/make) + 为 (to be/act as). Together they form the meaning of 'acting in the role of' or 'conducting oneself as'. The combination has been used in classical Chinese to mean conduct or behaviour.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal