杂活

雜活
záhuó
noun #31,647

Meanings

  1. 1 odd jobs
  2. 2 miscellaneous chores
  3. 3 menial tasks

Examples

Wǒ gāng rùzhí, měitiān jiù shì gàn xiē záhuó.
I just started this job — every day I do nothing but odd tasks.
Tā kào dǎ záhuó yǎnghuó zìjǐ.
He supports himself by doing odd jobs.

Tips

usage
Note the reading: here is huó with a rising tone (meaning 'work / job / task'), not the more familiar huó 'alive'. Common verb pairings: 杂活 'do odd jobs', 打杂 'to do miscellaneous work'. 打杂 (dǎzá) 'gofer' is the related noun for the person doing the chores.
register
Colloquial — describes the unglamorous, scattered tasks given to interns, junior employees, household helpers, or movie set assistants. Slightly self-deprecating when used about one's own work.

Stroke Order

huó