Updated on December 27, 2022
Welcome to Ming Mandarin’s free online Mandarin Chinese lessons. In this lesson, let’s learn some basic questions/answers related to working in China.
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Well, Chinese people like asking questions. When you interact with any Chinese (especially a woman), they will almost immediately ask you questions like “why did you come to China?” or “what’s your job?” or “what do you do for a living?”
- Lesson 1 (Level 1): Common Mandarin Chinese Verbs with Examples
- Lesson 1 (Level 2): How To Say “To Think” With 以为 In Chinese?
- Lesson 1 (Level 3): Learn Must Know Famous Chinese Idioms
- Lesson 1 (Level 4): 2 Must Know Famous Ancient Chinese Poems
- Lesson 1 (Level 5): Chinese Reading Practice with Pinyin & English
It might sound rude to many foreigners; however, these questions are very common in China. In fact, most of the time, Chinese people are generally curious about you.
So let’s learn question/answer phrases about working in China.
What’s Your Work? Job? What Do You Do?
Part 1 (What’s Your Work? Phrases 1-12)
| Why did you come to China? | Nǐ wèishéme lái zhōngguó? | 你为什么来中国？ |
| I am an exchange student | Wǒ shì jiāohuàn shēng | 我是交换生 |
| I am on a business trip. | Wǒ zài chūchāi | 我在出差 |
| I work in Shanghai. | Wǒ zài shànghǎi gōngzuò | 我在上海工作 |
| What's your job? | nǐ zuò shénme ɡōnɡzuò? | 你做什么工作？ |
| I am a teacher | wǒ shì lǎoshī | 我是老师 |
| What do you teach? | nǐ jiāo shénme？ | 你教什么？ |
| I teach English | wǒ jiāo yīnɡyǔ | 我教英语 |
| Are you a university teacher? | Nǐ shì dàxué lǎoshī ma? | 你是大学老师吗？ |
| No, I am a high school teacher. | Bù, wǒ shì gāozhōng lǎoshī | 不，我是高中老师 |
| What's your job? | nǐ zuò shénme ɡōnɡzuò? | 你做什么工作？ |
| I am an engineer | wǒ shì ɡōnɡchénɡshī | 我是工程师 |
Part 2 (What’s Your Work? Phrases 13-26)
| What company do you work for? | nǐ zài shénme ɡōnɡsī ɡōnɡzuò？ | 你在什么公司工作？ |
| I work in a German company | wǒ zài yíɡè déɡuó ɡōnɡsī ɡōnɡzuò | 我在一个德国公司工作 |
| I work in a car company | wǒ zài yíɡè qìchē ɡōnɡsī ɡōnɡzuò | 我在一个汽车公司工作 |
| What's your job? | nǐ zuò shénme ɡōnɡzuò? | 你做什么工作？ |
| I have a company. I am the owner | wǒ yǒu yíɡè ɡōnɡsī，wǒ shì lǎobǎn | 我有一个公司，我是老板 |
| I have a restaurant. I am the owner | wǒ yǒu yíɡè fàndiàn，wǒ shì lǎobǎn | 我有一个饭店，我是老板 |
| In China? | Zài zhōngguó ma | 在中国吗 |
| Yes, in China! | shì ya, zài zhōngguó | 是呀,在中国 |
| What's your job? | nǐ zuò shénme ɡōnɡzuò? | 你做什么工作？ |
| I don't have a job. I am still a student | wǒ méiyǒu ɡōnɡzuò，wǒ háishì xuéshēnɡ | 我没有工作，我还是学生 |
| I don't work. I came to China with my husband. He needs to work | wǒ bù ɡōnɡzuò，wǒ hé wǒ xiānshenɡ lái zhōnɡɡuó，tā yào ɡōnɡzuò | 我不工作，我和我先生来中国，他要工作 |
| I will start working after two months | Liǎng gè yuè hòu wǒ jiāng kāishǐ gōngzuò | 两个月后我将开始工作 |
| I work online | Wǒ zàixiàn shàng gōngzuò | 我在线上工作 |
| I am a software engineer | Wǒ shì ruǎnjiàn gōngchéngshī | 我是软件工程师 |
Do you have more question about job/work in China? Let me know in the comments below. 🙂