建造
jiànzào
The English verb "build" can be translated into Chinese as 建造 (jiànzào) or 建设. Wiktionary also lists 建設 / 建设 (jiànshè).
Meaning: (transitive) to form by combining materials or parts (verb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 建造 | jiànzào |
| 建設 / 建设 | jiànshè |
Both terms are used to mean build, but they are applied to different types of construction. 建造 refers to the physical act of constructing tangible, concrete objects. 建设 is used when the focus is on development or improvement, often in an abstract or large-scale sense.
Which one should you use?
建造 is the correct choice for physical and concrete construction, such as building houses, bridges or models. In contrast, 建设 is used for abstract or large-scale construction, such as building an economy, a country or a relationship.
How do you pronounce it?
jiànzào
Did you know?
- When describing the building of a person's character or an atmosphere, Chinese often uses 培养 (péiyǎng) instead of any form of 'build'.
- If you are talking about building a small, handmade object like a Lego set, you would use 搭建 (dājiàn) rather than 建造 (jiànzào).
- In classical Chinese, 建 could also mean 'to erect' or 'to stand up', which is why it is used today for establishing institutions and laws as well as buildings.
Examples in context
- 他喜歡建造模型飛機。He likes to build model planes.This sentence shows how to use 建造 with model planes.Tatoeba #848817 by Martha, translation #304147 by CK
- 你不能在沼澤地上建造建築物。You can't build buildings on swampy land.This sentence demonstrates the use of 建造 regarding buildings on land.Tatoeba #896381 by Martha, translation #499444 by CK
- 中国政府投入了大量资金建造了许多新的高速公路。The Chinese government has invested a large amount of funds to build many new expressways.
- 我们需要集中力量在城市中心建设一座新的图书馆。We need to concentrate our efforts in building a new library in the city center.
- 我们需要搭建一个临时舞台，以便在晚会上表演。We need to build a temporary stage for the performance at the evening party.
- 他們打算建造一座新橋。Tāmen dǎsuàn jiànzào yī zuò xīn qiáo.They plan to build a new bridge.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a new infrastructure project at work.
- 伟 Wei公司要在這附近建造圖書館嗎？Gōngsī yào zài zhè fùjìn jiànzào túshūguǎn ma?Is the company going to build a library near here?
- 雨婷 Yuting是的，偉，這是一個大工程。Shì de, Wěi, zhè shì yīgè dà gōngchéng.Yes, Wei, it is a large project.
- 伟 Wei雨婷，妳覺得會花很久時間嗎？Yǔtíng, nǐ juédé huì huā hěn jiǔ shíjiān ma?Yuting, do you think it will take a long time?
- 雨婷 Yuting我想可能需要兩年。Wǒ xiǎng kěnéng xūyào liǎng nián.I think it might take two years.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “build” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
