工 (gōng) originally depicted a carpenter's square, representing skilled craft or labor. 作 (zuò) derives from a pictograph showing a person doing something, meaning "to do" or "to make." Together, 工作 has meant "to perform labor / one's occupation" since Classical Chinese, and remains the standard modern word for both the noun "work/job" and the verb "to work."

In Chinese work culture, asking someone 你做什么工作？("What work do you do?") is a perfectly normal and friendly conversation opener — not considered intrusive, unlike in some Western contexts. Work and career are seen as central to personal identity. The related buzzword 躺平 (tǎng píng, "lying flat") — choosing to opt out of the hustle — emerged as a cultural counter-reaction specifically against intense 工作 pressure.