事业

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 他把一生都献给了教育事业。▶ —
   He devoted his whole life to the cause of education.
2. 她的事业正处于上升期。▶ —
   Her career is on the rise.

Collocations

Mnemonic

事 shì "affair" + 业 yè "enterprise": a Sino-Korean word "undertaking, career". A lifework or grand pursuit worth devoting oneself to. 事业有成 (to succeed in one’s career), 事业心 (ambition). Tone note: 事业 (shìyè, career) differs from 失业 (shīyè, unemployment), hence the slug suffix -career. A loftier "lifework" than 生意 (a money-making trade).

Related

Quick check

1. How do near-homophones 事业 (shìyè) and 失业 (shīyè) differ?

   • 事业 = career (4th tone); 失业 = unemployment (1st tone)
   • identical
   • 事业 = unemployment; 失业 = career
   • both salary