作 from HSK Level 6 Vocabulary List

The Chinese character 作 (zuò) is composed of two parts: the radical 亻(rén), which represents a person, and the phonetic component 乍 (zhà), which has the same pronunciation as 作. The original meaning of 作 was "to do" or "to make", and it was often used in the context of physical labor or construction. Over time, the meaning of 作 expanded to include more abstract concepts such as "to create" or "to compose". In modern Chinese, 作 is used in a wide variety of contexts, including writing, art, music, and even cooking.The character 作 can also be used as a verb meaning "to act" or "to pretend". In this sense, it is often used in the context of drama or performance. For example, the phrase 作戏 (zuòxì) means "to act in a play".The character 作 can also be used as a noun meaning "work" or "deed". In this sense, it is often used in the context of literature or art. For example, the phrase 作品 (zuòpǐn) means "a work of art".The character 作 is a versatile character with a rich history and a wide range of meanings. It is an essential character for any HSK learner to master.