作业 from HSK Level 2 Vocabulary List

The Chinese word 作业 (zuòyè) is composed of two characters: 作 (zuò) and 业 (yè). The character 作 means "to do" or "to make", while the character 业 means "work" or "occupation". Together, the two characters form the word 作业, which literally means "to do work" or "to do one's job". In modern Chinese, 作业 is most commonly used to refer to schoolwork or homework, but it can also be used in a more general sense to refer to any type of work or task.The character 作 is derived from the oracle bone script, which is the earliest known form of Chinese writing. In the oracle bone script, the character 作 is depicted as a hand holding a tool, which suggests that the original meaning of the character was "to work with one's hands". The character 业 is also derived from the oracle bone script, and it is depicted as a person standing in a field, which suggests that the original meaning of the character was "to farm".Over time, the meanings of the characters 作 and 业 have evolved and expanded. The character 作 is now used in a wide variety of contexts, and it can mean "to do", "to make", "to create", or "to compose". The character 业 is now used to refer to work, occupation, business, or career.The word 作业 is a common word in modern Chinese, and it is used in a variety of contexts. It is most commonly used to refer to schoolwork or homework, but it can also be used in a more general sense to refer to any type of work or task.