Homework = 作业 [zuò yè]

On a traffic island in a busy street, with cars rushing past, a kid crouches over his book: “doing homework at street.” That is 作业.

作业 (zuòyè) means “homework” or “assignment.” 作 means to do and 业 means work or a task.

To do homework is 做作业 (zuò zuòyè) or 写作业 (xiě zuòyè). The full word for homework is 家庭作业 (jiātíng zuòyè).

我还没做完作业。 — Wǒ hái méi zuò wán zuòyè. — I haven’t finished my homework yet.

今天老师没留作业。 — Jīntiān lǎoshī méi liú zuòyè. — The teacher didn’t give any homework today.