Pinyin Syllable

Chinese characters pronounced zuo

Learn common Chinese characters pronounced zuo, including 作 zuò, 做 zuò, 坐 zuò, 左 zuǒ, 座 zuò. Compare tones, meanings, traditional forms, words…

How to Pronounce This Syllable

For zuo, start with the flat z and let it flow into uo, holding the tone over the joined syllable.

Initial z

Use a flat tongue. It is not English “z”.

Final uo

Settle the final uo into a steady mouth shape first, then lay the tone on top.

Study Tip

Start with the most common characters (作 zuò, 做 zuò, 坐 zuò, 左 zuǒ, 座 zuò) and lock in their tones. 7 common characters share the sound zuo, so lean on words to tell the rest apart.

Learn by Tone

zuo turns up here with 3 different tones; a change of tone usually means a different character, so the groups below are split by tone.

2nd tone

Taking the 2nd tone here: 昨 (1 in total). Lock this tone in your ear before the meaning.

昨zuóyesterday

3rd tone

Taking the 3rd tone here: 左, 佐 (2 in total). Lock this tone in your ear before the meaning.

左zuǒleft 佐zuǒassist

4th tone

Taking the 4th tone here: 作, 做, 坐… (4 in total). Lock this tone in your ear before the meaning.

作zuòto regard as; to take (somebody) for; to do; to make 做zuòto do; to make; to produce 坐zuòto sit; to take a seat; to take (a bus; airplane etc.)座zuòseat; base; stand; measure word for large; solid things

Common Words With This Sound

Seeing zuo inside whole words makes it clear which character is meant — here are common ones.

工作gōng zuòto work; (of a machine) to operate; job; work 动作dòng zuòmovement; motion; action; to act 作用zuò yòngto act on; to affect; action; function 做饭zuò fànto prepare a meal; to cook 做到zuò dàoto accomplish; to achieve 做法zuò fǎway of handling sth; method for making; work method; recipe 坐下zuò xiato sit down 请坐qǐng zuòplease, have a seat 乘坐chéng zuòto take (a ship, plane etc); to ride (in a train or other vehicle)左边zuǒ bianleft; the left side; to the left of

Characters

7 common characters in this group.

Character#1 作 zuòto regard as; to take (somebody) for; to do; to makeTraditional: 作 Character#2 做 zuòto do; to make; to produceTraditional: 做 Character#3 坐 zuòto sit; to take a seat; to take (a bus; airplane etc.)Traditional: 坐 Character#4 左 zuǒleftTraditional: 左 Character#5 座 zuòseat; base; stand; measure word for large; solid thingsTraditional: 座 Character#6 昨 zuóyesterdayTraditional: 昨 Character#7 佐 zuǒassistTraditional: 佐