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创业 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
创业chuàngyèto begin an undertakingHSK 5, n, 11 strokes, rank #19118, Hard
创业chuàngyèto start a major taskHSK 5, n, 11 strokes, rank #19118, Hard
创业chuàngyèto initiateHSK 5, n, 11 strokes, rank #19118, Hard
创业chuàngyèto ventureHSK 5, n, 11 strokes, rank #19118, Hard
创业chuàngyèventureHSK 5, n, 11 strokes, rank #19118, Hard
创业chuàngyèentrepreneurshipHSK 5, n, 11 strokes, rank #19118, Hard
chuàngyè(chuang4ye4)chuang ye T4
  1. 1to begin an undertaking
  2. 2to start a major task
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March 24, 2026

创业(創業)chuàngyè(chuang4ye4)

创业 (chuang4 ye4) refers to the process of starting a new business or undertaking significant projects. It commonly involves innovation, risk-taking, and the mobilization of resources to create something new, often related to entrepreneurship in a business context.

Strokes11Frequency#19118DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In contemporary China, 创业 is closely tied to the 'Chinese Dream' and the government's support for innovation and startups, reflecting a cultural emphasis on self-reliance and economic growth. Many young people aspire to be entrepreneurs, influenced by successful figures in the tech industry.

Memory tip

Imagine a person standing at the edge of a cliff, ready to jump (创 - 'to begin') into a vast ocean (业 - 'business'). This visual of taking a leap symbolizes the boldness of starting a new venture, while the '4' in the pinyin hints at the sound of 'jump' in Chinese, reminding you of the risk involved in entrepreneurship.

Meanings of 创业

chuàngyè(chuang4ye4)
1to begin an undertaking
2to start a major task
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 创业

创业Simplified
創業Traditional
11Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#19118Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2BCT✓CEFRA2

Podcast: 创业

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Podcast: 创业

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AI study notes for 创业

Quick Contrast

创业 (chuàngyè) vs 创新 (chuàngxīn) — choose 创业 when referring specifically to starting a business, while 创新 emphasizes the aspect of innovation in ideas or products.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 创业; the fourth tone can easily be confused with other terms. It's often used in formal contexts, particularly in business discussions or academic settings. Common collocations include '创业者' (entrepreneur) and '创业公司' (startup company).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 创业 is important for learners who are focusing on business language. Pay attention to its use in conjunction with other economic terms and practice forming phrases that relate to starting a business.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 创业 with 开办 (kai1 ban4 - to set up or establish). For example, saying '我想开办一个创业' (I want to establish an entrepreneurship) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我想创业' (I want to start a business).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 创业

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Component characters

创chuàngto begin
HSK 76 strokes刂
View full entry
业yèline of business
HSK 65 strokes一
View full entry

How to say to begin an undertaking in Chinese

“to begin an undertaking” in Chinese is创业chuàngyè

创业 (chuang4 ye4) refers to the process of starting a new business or undertaking significant projects. It commonly involves innovation, risk-taking, and the mobilization of resources to create something new, often related to entrepreneurship in a business context.

When to use 创业

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 创业; the fourth tone can easily be confused with other terms. It's often used in formal contexts, particularly in business discussions or academic settings. Common collocations include '创业者' (entrepreneur) and '创业公司' (startup company).

创业 or something close to it

创业 (chuàngyè) vs 创新 (chuàngxīn) — choose 创业 when referring specifically to starting a business, while 创新 emphasizes the aspect of innovation in ideas or products.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 创业 with 开办 (kai1 ban4 - to set up or establish). For example, saying '我想开办一个创业' (I want to establish an entrepreneurship) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我想创业' (I want to start a business).

Write 创业

创
业

Practice writing 创业 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 创业

创业 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

有____意愿的人非常匮乏。

There is a lack of people wanting to start up new businesses.

Example sentences for 创业 (10)

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nto begin an undertaking8
1
有创业意愿的人非常匮乏。

yǒu chuàngyè yìyuàn de rén fēicháng kuìfá。

There is a lack of people wanting to start up new businesses.
2
这样凯利女士就可以把钱存起来创业。

zhèyàng kǎi lì nǚshì jiù kěyǐ bǎ qián cún qǐlái chuàngyè。

This allowed Ms. Kelley to lay aside money to start her business.
3
除甄选适宜投资的科技开发项目外,创业资金公司并为获得投资的公司提供管理 、 市场推广和建立网络等方面的意见.

chú zhēn xuǎn shìyí tóuzī de kējì kāifā xiàngmù wài, chuàngyè zījīn gōngsī bìng wèi huòdé tóuzī de gōngsī tígōng guǎnlǐ、 shìchǎng tuīguǎng hé jiànlì wǎngluò děng fāngmiàn de yìjiàn.

Besides selecting technological ventures for investment, the firms provide management, marketing and networking advice to the investee companies.
4
大学毕业后,他和朋友一起创业,开了一家咖啡馆。

Dàxué bìyè hòu, tā hé péngyǒu yīqǐ chuàngyè, kāile yījiā kāfēiguǎn.

After graduating from university, he started a business with his friends and opened a café.
5
为了筹集创业资金,她努力工作了好几年。

Wèile chóují chuàngyè zījīn, tā nǔlì gōngzuòle hǎo jǐ nián.

To raise funds for her startup, she worked hard for several years.
6
李明选择在家乡创业,开了一家有机农场。

Lǐ Míng xuǎnzé zài jiāxiāng chuàngyè, kāile yī jiā yǒujī nóngchǎng.

Li Ming chose to begin an undertaking in his hometown by opening an organic farm.
7
小王在创业初期遇到了很多困难,但他没有放弃。

Xiǎo Wáng zài chuàngyè chūqī yùdào le hěn duō kùnnán, dàn tā méiyǒu fàngqì.

Xiao Wang faced many difficulties in the early stages of his undertaking, but he did not give up.
8
他们决定一起创业,开发一款新的手机应用。

Tāmen juédìng yīqǐ chuàngyè, kāifā yī kuǎn xīn de shǒujī yìngyòng.

They decided to begin an undertaking together by developing a new mobile application.
nto start a major task2
9
他放弃了高薪工作,决定自己创业,实现梦想。

Tā fàngqìle gāoxīn gōngzuò, juédìng zìjǐ chuàngyè, shíxiàn mèngxiǎng.

He gave up a high-paying job and decided to start his own business to realize his dream.
10
创业需要勇气和毅力,很多人因此成功。

Chuàngyè xūyào yǒngqì hé yìlì, hěn duō rén yīncǐ chénggōng.

Starting a business requires courage and perseverance, which is why many people succeed.

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Frequently asked questions about 创业

创业 specifically refers to starting a business or significant project, while 开始 is a more general term for 'to begin' any activity.

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