事业 shìyè undertaking
undertaking; project; activity; (charitable, political or revolutionary) cause; publicly funded institution, enterprise or foundation; career; occupation
How to remember 事业: 事 matter + 业 industry = undertaking.
Characters
How it is used
- A career or cause someone is devoted to, bigger and more meaningful than a mere job: 干一番事业 (build a great career), 事业心 (career ambition).
- Common contrast pair: 家庭和事业 (family and career).
- Differs from 职业 (zhíyè), the neutral word that just names what job you do - 事业 carries a sense of purpose or lasting achievement.
Example sentences
- 他继承了他父亲的事业。 Tā jìchéng le tā fùqīn de shìyè.He took over his father's business.
- 她父亲把一生都贡献给科学事业了。 Tā fùqīn bǎ yīshēng dōu gòngxiàn gěi kēxuéshìyè le.Her father devoted his life to science.