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.
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.
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.
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.