做作业

This phrase follows a very straightforward Verb-Object (VO) structure. Because it's a VO phrase, you can actually shove other words right into the middle of it to add detail. For example, if you want to say 'doing a lot of homework,' you would say 做很多作业. If you finished it, you say 做完作业. It’s like a sandwich—the 做 and 作业 are the bread, and your adjectives or result-complements are the delicious (or stressful) filling. You’ll hear it in schools, homes, and increasingly in 'study with me' live streams on Bilibili where students broadcast themselves doing homework for hours.

Imagine a typical Tuesday. You’re texting a friend: 'Can you play League of Legends?' They reply: 我要做作业 (I have to do homework). That’s the ultimate conversation-stopper. Or imagine a mother in a TV drama pointing a finger at her son: 快去做作业! (Go do your homework, fast!). In a more modern setting, you might see a TikTok (Douyin) creator posting a video of their desk with the caption: 做作业做到凌晨 (Doing homework until the early hours of the morning). It’s a badge of honor and a mark of exhaustion all at once.

You should use this whenever you are talking about school-related tasks. It works for primary school kids, high schoolers, and even university students. If you are taking a Chinese course right now, you are a 做作业 professional. You can use it in formal parent-teacher conferences or while complaining to your best friend over a bubble tea. It is a neutral, safe, and universally understood term that fits almost any situation involving a student and a desk.

Don't confuse your 'homework' with your 'job.' If you are at an office working on a spreadsheet for your boss, you are 工作 (gōngzuò), not 做作业. If you use 做作业 in a professional meeting, your boss might think you’re still in middle school! Also, don't use it for household chores like washing dishes—that’s 做家务 (zuò jiāwù). And please, don't try to 'do' a book; if you are reading, use 看书 (kàn shū). Using the wrong 'do' is like wearing flip-flops to a wedding—people will get the idea, but it’ll look a bit weird.

A very common trap for English speakers is saying ✗ 看作业 (kàn zuoyè) when they mean they are doing it. While 看 means 'read' or 'look,' you only 'read' homework if you are a teacher grading it. Stick to 做. Another one is ✗ 办作业 (bàn zuoyè). 办 also means 'to do' or 'to handle,' but it's usually for legal or official business. Unless your homework involves filing for a marriage license or a visa, keep 办 out of it!

• ✗ 我在工作作业 → ✓ 我在做作业 (You can't use 'work' as a verb for homework like that)
• ✗ 写做作业 → ✓ 写作业 (You don't need both verbs; 写 is a common alternative for 'write')

If you want to sound more like a local, you can use 写作业 (xiě zuoyè). Since most homework involves writing, this is incredibly common. For university students dealing with heavy research projects, you might hear 做课题 (zuò kètí - doing a project/research) or 写论文 (xiě lùnwén - writing a thesis). If you are specifically talking about 'extra' work from a tutor, you might say 做练习 (zuò liànxí - doing exercises). It's like choosing between a regular coffee and an espresso—different levels of intensity!

You will often see the 'result' added to the phrase. 做好了 (zuò hǎo le) means you've done it and it's high quality. 做完了 (zuò wán le) just means it's finished (even if it's all wrong). In some dialects, like in Taiwan, you might hear 做功课 (zuò gōngkè) more frequently than 做作业. Both are correct, but 作业 feels a bit more like 'assignments' while 功课 feels like 'schoolwork' in general. Think of it as 'soda' vs. 'pop'—everyone knows what you mean.

• Can I use this for online courses? Absolutely! Whether it's a PDF or a physical book, if a teacher assigned it, it’s 作业.
• Is it polite? Yes, it's a neutral term. No one will be offended, though they might pity you for having so much work to do.
• Does it include studying for a test? Technically, studying is 复习 (fùxí), but if the studying involves practice papers, people often just group it under 做作业.
• What if I'm a teacher? Then you 布置作业 (bùzhì zuoyè - assign homework) and then you 改作业 (gǎi zuoyè - correct homework). Sorry, you don't get to escape the cycle either!