====== shìyè: 事业 - Career, Undertaking, Cause, Enterprise ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** shiye Chinese, 事业 meaning, career in Chinese, undertaking, cause, enterprise, Chinese word for career, shiye vs gongzuo, HSK 4 vocabulary, life's work in Chinese
  * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of **事业 (shìyè)**, a fundamental concept in Chinese culture that goes beyond a simple "job" or "career." This page explains how **事业** represents a long-term, meaningful undertaking, a life's work, or a significant cause to which one is devoted. Learn its cultural significance, how to use it in conversation, and how it differs from similar words like `工作 (gōngzuò)`.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** shìyè
  * **Part of Speech:** Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 4
  * **Concise Definition:** A career, undertaking, cause, or enterprise that requires long-term commitment and is often seen as a life's work.
  * **In a Nutshell:** While "job" (`工作 gōngzuò`) is about earning a living, **事业 (shìyè)** is about building a life. It refers to a pursuit that has weight, ambition, and a sense of purpose. It can be a personal business, a professional career path, or a contribution to a larger social cause. Think of it as your "grand undertaking" or "mission" rather than just your 9-to-5.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **事 (shì):** This character means "matter," "affair," "thing," or "business." It represents an activity or an event.
  * **业 (yè):** This character means "profession," "industry," "trade," or "course of study." It points to a specific field or line of work.
When combined, **事业 (shìyè)** literally means "the business of one's profession" or "a matter of one's industry." This fusion creates a word that signifies a major, long-term endeavor within a specific field—your life's work.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
In Western culture, a "career" is often viewed as an individual's professional journey, focused on personal growth and advancement. **事业 (shìyè)** shares this but is embedded in a deeper, more collective cultural framework.
A successful **事业** is not just a personal achievement; it brings honor and stability to one's entire family. This is captured in the classic idiom `成家立业 (chéng jiā lì yè)`, which means "to start a family and establish a career." These two are seen as the fundamental pillars of a stable and successful adult life in Chinese society. Having a **事业** means you are a responsible, contributing member of your family and society.
Furthermore, **事业** can refer to a great "cause." For example, `教育事业 (jiàoyù shìyè)` isn't just "the education industry," but "the cause of education." This imbues the word with a sense of social contribution and grand purpose that the English "career" doesn't always carry. It's less about climbing a corporate ladder and more about building something of lasting value.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**事业** is a formal and weighty word. You would use it when discussing serious, long-term ambitions, not a part-time gig.
  *   **Personal Ambition:** People often talk about their desire to `发展自己的事业 (fāzhǎn zìjǐ de shìyè)`, meaning "to develop their own career/undertaking." A person with strong ambition is said to have `事业心 (shìyèxīn)`, or "career-mindedness."
  *   **Business as an Undertaking:** If someone quits their job to start a company, that new company is their **事业**. It’s the project they are pouring their life into.
  *   **Social and Public Causes:** The term is frequently used in formal contexts to describe large-scale, socially beneficial endeavors, like `慈善事业 (císhàn shìyè)` (philanthropy/charitable causes) or `环保事业 (huánbǎo shìyè)` (the cause of environmental protection).
The connotation is almost always positive, implying importance, dedication, and long-term vision.
===== Example Sentences =====
  *   **Example 1:**
    *   他为了自己的**事业**，放弃了很多个人时间。
    *   Pinyin: Tā wèile zìjǐ de **shìyè**, fàngqìle hěnduō gèrén shíjiān.
    *   English: For the sake of his career, he gave up a lot of personal time.
    *   Analysis: This sentence highlights the sacrifice and dedication associated with building a **事业**. It's more than just a job; it's a major life priority.
  *   **Example 2:**
    *   她把教育看作自己一生的**事业**。
    *   Pinyin: Tā bǎ jiàoyù kànzuò zìjǐ yīshēng de **shìyè**.
    *   English: She regards education as her life's work.
    *   Analysis: Here, **事业** is used in the sense of a "cause" or "vocation." It's not just a profession but a mission.
  *   **Example 3:**
    *   祝你**事业**成功！
    *   Pinyin: Zhù nǐ **shìyè** chénggōng!
    *   English: I wish you success in your career!
    *   Analysis: This is a common and formal way to wish someone well in their professional life, often said at graduations, new job celebrations, or farewells.
  *   **Example 4:**
    *   一个有**事业**心的男人通常很有魅力。
    *   Pinyin: Yīgè yǒu **shìyè**xīn de nánrén tōngcháng hěn yǒu mèilì.
    *   English: A man who is ambitious (career-minded) is usually very charming.
    *   Analysis: This shows the compound word `事业心 (shìyèxīn)`, which means "ambition" or "career-mindedness." It's generally seen as a positive trait.
  *   **Example 5:**
    *   毕业后，他决定回老家发展**事业**。
    *   Pinyin: Bìyè hòu, tā juédìng huí lǎojiā fāzhǎn **shìyè**.
    *   English: After graduating, he decided to return to his hometown to develop his career.
    *   Analysis: `发展事业 (fāzhǎn shìyè)` is a common collocation meaning "to develop one's career" or "to build one's enterprise."
  *   **Example 6:**
    *   家庭和**事业**很难平衡。
    *   Pinyin: Jiātíng hé **shìyè** hěn nán pínghéng.
    *   English: It's difficult to balance family and career.
    *   Analysis: This shows **事业** as one of the major pillars of life, often discussed in parallel with family (`家庭 jiātíng`).
  *   **Example 7:**
    *   这家公司是他父亲一手创办的**事业**。
    *   Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī shì tā fùqīn yīshǒu chuàngbàn de **shìyè**.
    *   English: This company is the enterprise his father single-handedly founded.
    *   Analysis: Here, **事业** refers to a business, but with the added feeling that it's a legacy or a life's work, not just a commercial entity.
  *   **Example 8:**
    *   他对现在的工作不满意，想要开创一份属于自己的**事业**。
    *   Pinyin: Tā duì xiànzài de gōngzuò bù mǎnyì, xiǎngyào kāichuàng yī fèn shǔyú zìjǐ de **shìyè**.
    *   English: He's not satisfied with his current job and wants to start an undertaking of his own.
    *   Analysis: This sentence perfectly contrasts `工作 (gōngzuò - job)` with **事业 (shìyè - undertaking/enterprise)**. The job is just a job; the **事业** is his own creation.
  *   **Example 9:**
    *   在中国，三十岁左右是**事业**的黄金时期。
    *   Pinyin: Zài zhōngguó, sānshí suì zuǒyòu shì **shìyè** de huángjīn shíqī.
    *   English: In China, around the age of thirty is the golden period for one's career.
    *   Analysis: This sentence highlights the societal expectation and timeline associated with building a successful **事业**.
  *   **Example 10:**
    *   他一生致力于慈善**事业**。
    *   Pinyin: Tā yīshēng zhìlì yú císhàn **shìyè**.
    *   English: He dedicated his whole life to the cause of charity.
    *   Analysis: This is a prime example of **事业** meaning "cause." `慈善事业 (císhàn shìyè)` is a set phrase for philanthropy.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
The most common mistake for learners is to use **事业 (shìyè)** when they should use **工作 (gōngzuò)**. They are not interchangeable.
  *   **工作 (gōngzuò):** A job, work, a task. It's the day-to-day activity you do to earn money. It's countable and specific.
  *   **事业 (shìyè):** A career, an undertaking, a cause. It's a long-term, abstract concept representing your entire professional life's work or a major enterprise.
**Think of it this way:**
You can have many `工作` (jobs) throughout your life that all contribute to your one `事业` (career/undertaking).
**Incorrect Usage:**
  *   **Wrong:** 我今天有很多**事业**要做。(Wǒ jīntiān yǒu hěnduō **shìyè** yào zuò.)
    *   **Reason:** This is like saying "I have many careers to do today." You are talking about daily tasks, so you should use `工作`.
    *   **Correct:** 我今天有很多**工作**要做。(Wǒ jīntiān yǒu hěnduō **gōngzuò** yào zuò. - I have a lot of work to do today.)
  *   **Wrong:** 我要去我的**事业**了。(Wǒ yào qù wǒ de **shìyè** le.)
    *   **Reason:** This sounds strange, like saying "I'm going to my life's undertaking." You are simply going to your workplace.
    *   **Correct:** 我要去**上班**了。(Wǒ yào qù **shàngbān** le. - I'm going to work now.)
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  *   [[工作]] (gōngzuò) - Job; work. The specific activity you are paid for. It's the "what you do," while `事业` is the "what you build."
  *   [[职业]] (zhíyè) - Occupation; profession. A more formal term than `工作`, often referring to a category of work requiring training (e.g., teacher, doctor). It's more specific than `事业`.
  *   [[事业心]] (shìyèxīn) - Ambition; career-mindedness. The noun describing the drive to have a successful `事业`.
  *   [[企业]] (qǐyè) - Enterprise; company. A business entity. An `企业` can be a person's `事业`.
  *   [[生意]] (shēngyi) - Business; trade. Refers to the activity of buying and selling for profit, often on a smaller, more transactional scale than a `事业`.
  *   [[理想]] (lǐxiǎng) - Ideal; aspiration. The personal dream or vision that often motivates a person's `事业`.
  *   [[成就]] (chéngjiù) - Achievement; accomplishment. The positive result or milestone reached within one's `事业`.
  *   [[成家立业]] (chéng jiā lì yè) - "Start a family and establish a career." A foundational cultural idiom that shows the importance of `事业` in Chinese life stages.
  *   [[前途]] (qiántú) - Future prospects; outlook. Often used when discussing the potential of a person's `事业`.