做人
zuòrèn
To behave in Chinese is expressed as 做人 (zuòrèn). Wiktionary also lists 舉動 / 举动 (jǔdòng).
Meaning: to act in a polite or proper way (verb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 做人 | zuòrèn |
| 舉動 / 举动 | jǔdòng |
做人 is used when discussing a person's integrity, social etiquette or how they carry themselves in a community.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 做人 literally means 'to do/be a person', referring to how one conducts oneself in society.
Which one should you use?
While 'behave' in English can refer to a single action, 做人 refers to a person's overall character and how they treat others in life. Unlike 做人, which describes a person's moral conduct or character, 举动 refers to a specific physical action or movement.
How do you pronounce it?
zuòrèn
Did you know?
- While 做人 describes a lifelong approach to character, the phrase 做事 describes one's approach to tasks. In Chinese culture, a person who is good at 做事 but bad at 做人 is seen as talented but socially abrasive.
- In Chinese social contexts, the concept of 做人 is deeply tied to 'giving face', where behaving properly often means prioritizing the dignity and needs of others over one's own.
- While English speakers use 'behave' to tell a child to be quiet or still, a Chinese parent would use different terms like 乖 to mean 'well-behaved', as 做人 is too philosophical for a toddler.
Examples in context
- 你今天的表现真好Your behavior today was excellent
- 记住要守规矩Remember to behave properly
- 你的举止得体You behave appropriately
- 希望你能保持举止文明I hope you can maintain civilized behavior
- 他做人很正直。He behaves very uprightly.
- 做人要講信用。Zuò rén yào jiǎng xìnyòng.To behave properly, one must be trustworthy.
- 他做人很有禮貌。Tā zuò rén hěn yǒu lǐmào.He behaves very politely.
- 做人不能太自私。Zuò rén bùnéng tài zìsī.One shouldn't behave too selfishly.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a former colleague.
- 俊杰 Junjie你覺得他做人怎麼樣？Nǐ juéde tā zuò rén zěnmeyàng?How do you think he behaves?
- 梓涵 Zihan他做人很正直。Tā zuò rén hěn zhèngzhí.He behaves very honestly.
- 俊杰 Junjie那真是個好榜樣。Nà zhēnshì gè hǎo bǎngyàng.That is truly a good example.
- 梓涵 Zihan大家都很欣賞他。Dàjiā dōu hěn xīnshǎng tā.Everyone appreciates him very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “behave” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
