Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== móushēng: 谋生 - To Make a Living, To Earn a Livelihood ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** mousheng, 谋生, make a living in Chinese, earn a livelihood in Chinese, how to say make a living in Mandarin, móushēng meaning, Chinese word for livelihood, Chinese word for work, survive, subsistence. * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese term **谋生 (móushēng)**, which means "to make a living" or "to earn a livelihood." This page explores its deeper cultural meaning, which often implies a sense of struggle, effort, and the basic necessity of working for survival. Discover how **谋生 (móushēng)** differs from simply "working" and how it reflects a core pragmatic value in Chinese culture through character breakdowns, cultural context, and 10 practical example sentences. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** móushēng * **Part of Speech:** Verb * **HSK Level:** HSK 6 * **Concise Definition:** To seek a livelihood; to work to support oneself; to make a living. * **In a Nutshell:** **谋生 (móushēng)** is more than just "having a job." It describes the fundamental act of working to secure the means for survival—food, shelter, and basic needs. The word carries a certain weight, emphasizing the effort, planning, and sometimes hardship involved in simply getting by. It's less about a "career" or "passion" and more about the pragmatic necessity of "subsistence." ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **谋 (móu):** This character means "to plan," "to scheme," or "to seek." It's composed of 讠(yán - speech) and 某 (mǒu - a certain). The combination suggests the act of discussing and planning to achieve a certain goal. It implies conscious effort and strategy. * **生 (shēng):** This is a very common character meaning "life," "to live," or "to be born." * Together, **谋生 (móushēng)** literally translates to "to plan for life" or "to seek life." This beautifully illustrates the concept: it's the strategic effort one undertakes to sustain one's existence. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * In Chinese culture, **谋生 (móushēng)** reflects a deeply ingrained pragmatism born from a long history where survival was often a primary concern. It underscores the idea that work is, first and foremost, a means to provide for oneself and one's family. This value of resilience and industriousness is central to the Chinese work ethic. * **Comparison with "Building a Career":** In Western, particularly American culture, there is a strong emphasis on "finding your passion" or "building a career," which often implies personal fulfillment, self-expression, and upward mobility. While these concepts also exist in China, **谋生 (móushēng)** represents a more fundamental, foundational layer. It's the baseline of survival upon which a career might be built. For many, a job is a **谋生 (móushēng)** tool—a practical necessity—rather than an identity or a source of ultimate fulfillment. This doesn't mean the work is disliked, but its primary purpose is understood with a clear-eyed realism. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **谋生 (móushēng)** is a common and widely understood term, though it can sound slightly more formal or serious than the colloquial **赚钱 (zhuànqián)** (to earn money). * It's often used when discussing the economic realities of life, especially in contexts of migration, hardship, or basic trades. * **Talking about Migration:** People often say they moved to a big city to **谋生 (móushēng)** (去大城市谋生). * **Describing a Skill:** Someone might rely on a specific skill to make a living, e.g., "He relies on his carpentry skills to **谋生 (móushēng)**" (他靠木工手艺谋生). * **Expressing Humility:** When asked about their job, someone might humbly describe it as just a way to **谋生 (móushēng)**, downplaying any grand ambition. * The connotation is generally neutral but can lean slightly towards the difficult or laborious side of work, highlighting the effort involved. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 为了**谋生**，他不得不离开家乡去大城市打工。 * Pinyin: Wèile **móushēng**, tā bùdébù líkāi jiāxiāng qù dà chéngshì dǎgōng. * English: In order to make a living, he had no choice but to leave his hometown and work in the big city. * Analysis: This is a classic example showcasing the necessity and sacrifice often associated with **谋生**. It's about doing what you have to do, not necessarily what you want to do. * **Example 2:** * 在这个竞争激烈的社会里，**谋生**越来越不容易了。 * Pinyin: Zài zhège jìngzhēng jīliè de shèhuì lǐ, **móushēng** yuèláiyuè bù róngyì le. * English: In this fiercely competitive society, making a living is becoming more and more difficult. * Analysis: This sentence uses **谋生** to comment on broader socioeconomic pressures. It frames "making a living" as a challenge to be overcome. * **Example 3:** * 他靠着一手好厨艺在城里**谋生**。 * Pinyin: Tā kàozhe yī shǒu hǎo chúyì zài chénglǐ **móushēng**. * English: He makes a living in the city by relying on his excellent cooking skills. * Analysis: This highlights that **谋生** is often tied to a specific skill or trade (手艺 - shǒuyì). It's a practical application of talent for survival. * **Example 4:** * 很多大学毕业生面临着**谋生**的压力。 * Pinyin: Hěnduō dàxué bìyèshēng miànlínzhe **móushēng** de yālì. * English: Many university graduates face the pressure of earning a livelihood. * Analysis: Here, **谋生** is treated as a fundamental life stage and pressure point after education. The focus is on the transition from learning to earning. * **Example 5:** * 在旧社会，穷人只能靠出卖劳动力来**谋生**。 * Pinyin: Zài jiù shèhuì, qióngrén zhǐnéng kào chūmài láodònglì lái **móushēng**. * English: In the old society, the poor could only make a living by selling their labor. * Analysis: This sentence places **谋生** in a historical context, emphasizing its connection to class, labor, and basic survival. * **Example 6:** * 写小说对她来说不仅是爱好，也是**谋生**的手段。 * Pinyin: Xiě xiǎoshuō duì tā lái shuō bùjǐn shì àihào, yěshì **móushēng** de shǒuduàn. * English: For her, writing novels is not only a hobby but also a means of making a living. * Analysis: This is a great example distinguishing between passion (爱好 - àihào) and necessity (**谋生**的手段 - a means of making a living). It shows that the two can overlap. * **Example 7:** * 我的工作没什么了不起的，就是个**谋生**的工具。 * Pinyin: Wǒ de gōngzuò méishénme liǎobuqǐ de, jiùshì ge **móushēng** de gōngjù. * English: My job is nothing special, it's just a tool to make a living. * Analysis: This demonstrates a common, humble way of speaking about one's job. It frames the job pragmatically, as a means to an end. * **Example 8:** * 他年纪大了，已经很难再找到**谋生**的活儿了。 * Pinyin: Tā niánjì dà le, yǐjīng hěn nán zài zhǎodào **móushēng** de huó'r le. * English: He is old now, and it's already very difficult for him to find work to support himself. * Analysis: This sentence connects **谋生** with the ability to work, showing that losing this ability is a serious problem, especially for the elderly. * **Example 9:** * 父母辛苦一辈子，就是为了**谋生**和养家。 * Pinyin: Fùmǔ xīnkǔ yībèizi, jiùshì wèile **móushēng** hé yǎngjiā. * English: Parents work hard their whole lives just to make a living and raise a family. * Analysis: This links **谋生** directly to the core family value of providing for the next generation (养家 - yǎngjiā). * **Example 10:** * 这个地区的居民主要以捕鱼为**谋生**方式。 * Pinyin: Zhège dìqū de jūmín zhǔyào yǐ bǔyú wéi **móushēng** fāngshì. * English: The inhabitants of this region mainly make a living by fishing. * Analysis: A more neutral, descriptive use of the term. Here, **谋生方式** means "way of life" or "livelihood." ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Don't Confuse with `工作 (gōngzuò)`:** * **谋生 (móushēng)** is the *purpose* (to survive). * **工作 (gōngzuò)** is the *activity* (a job). * You can say: "我的**工作**是当一名司机，这是我**谋生**的方式。" (My **job** is being a driver; this is how I **make a living**.) * Incorrect: "我今天有很多**谋生**要做。" (I have a lot of **making a living** to do today.) -> Correct: "我今天有很多**工作**要做。" (I have a lot of **work** to do today.) * **It Implies Necessity, Not Hobbies:** * **谋生 (móushēng)** is tied to earning what you need to live. You would not use it to describe a hobby that doesn't pay the bills. * Incorrect: "我喜欢园艺，这是我的**谋生**。" (I like gardening, this is my **livelihood**.) (Assuming you have a different full-time job). * Correct: "我是一名职业园丁，我靠园艺**谋生**。" (I am a professional gardener, I make a living through gardening.) ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[工作]] (gōngzuò) - Work, job. The most common and neutral term for one's employment. * [[赚钱]] (zhuànqián) - To earn money. More colloquial and direct than **谋生**. It focuses on the result (money) rather than the struggle for survival. * [[糊口]] (húkǒu) - Literally "to paste the mouth." A more informal and often grim term for just scraping by, barely earning enough to eat. It's like a more desperate version of **谋生**. * [[生计]] (shēngjì) - Livelihood (noun). **谋生** is the verb "to make a living," while **生计** is the noun "livelihood." E.g., `维持生计` (wéichí shēngjì) - to maintain one's livelihood. * [[饭碗]] (fànwǎn) - Rice bowl. A powerful metaphor for one's job or stable source of income. Losing your job is `丢了饭碗` (diūle fànwǎn) - to lose one's rice bowl. * [[职业]] (zhíyè) - Profession, occupation. A more formal term that often implies a specific career path or field requiring training. * [[生存]] (shēngcún) - To survive, to exist. **谋生** is the economic action one takes in order to achieve **生存**. * [[奋斗]] (fèndòu) - To strive, struggle, fight for. This term captures the active effort and ambition that often goes beyond simple **谋生** to achieve a better life.