乍一看

zhà yī kàn

工作

[gōngzuò]

作用

[zuòyòng]

function, role, action, effect

It refers to how something acts (作) and its purpose/use (用) in a system or context; 作 emphasizes active behavior (how something does or operates), 用 emphasizes utility (what it’s used for or its impact)

作业

[zuòyè]

homework; work

作 (zuò) emphasizes the action of completing something; 业 (yè) provides the context (study/work);

together, they frame tasks as active efforts within a structured system (school, job, etc.)

制作

zhìzuò

to produce/create

to manufacture

制 (zhì) (not yet + knife) – The systematic/controlled aspect (design, planning, standardization); 作 (zuò) – The hands-on execution (crafting, assembling)

动作

dòngzuò

movement, action

动 emphasizes the physical aspect of motion;

作 adds the purposeful or deliberate nature of the action

Combined, they refine the meaning to "a deliberate movement" or "an executed action."

作家

zuòjiā

writer

作 emphasizes the creative act (writing, composing);

家 originally means "home" or "family," but in compounds, it often denotes "a specialist" or "master of a field"; together, 作家 literally translates to "one who creates professionally" (i.e., a writer)

作文

"composition" (as in a written essay or article),

combines 作 (to make, to create, or to compose) and 文 (writing language or text) to convey the idea of "creating written work."

昨天

[zuótiān]

yesterday

together, it literally means the previous day

In classical Chinese, 昨 could stand alone for "yesterday," but modern Mandarin prefers disyllabic (two-character) words for clarity and rhythm

昨日

zuórì

yesterday

(more formal or literary/poetic; news headlines, poetry, historical texts, formal reports)

昨晚

zuówǎn

last night

yesterday + night → last night

怎么

[zěnme]

how

怎么 combines 怎 ("how") + 么 (a suffix) to create a natural, modern Mandarin question word. While 怎 alone exists historically, it’s largely obsolete in daily speech.

怎样

[zěnyàng]

how

怎样 combines 怎 (how) + 样 (manner) to create a natural, modern way to ask "how," "what kind," or "how about."

怎么样

[zěnmeyàng]

how is it, how about

怎么 asks method or reason; focuses on process/cause 

怎样 asks state or quality; neutral, slightly formal

怎么样 asks evaluation/opinion; invites subject. judgment