<p>当 is grammarly correct, it means &quot;to be&quot;</p>
<p>当...（职业）is the correct expression. for example:</p>
<p>当老师，当医生，当科学家, and it cannot be replaced by 做.</p>
<p>做, means &quot;do&quot;, is to ask someone's occupation. for example:</p>
<p>你是做什么的？what you do for a living? it cannot be replaced by 当.</p>
<p>so 我一毕业就去上海”做“律师？ is a strange way to say but we also understand.</p>
<p>BTW, I think most of the problems asked in this Chinese Language section is simply because you guys don't have the context or not familiar with the convention.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-05T04:04:16.317Z
2020-08-05T04:04:16.317Z
BarCodeReader
<p>当 is a verb that means 'to be/ working as/ take on the role or position of' when it is followed by an identity</p>
<p>Examples: 当好人，当警察，当媒人，当法官</p>
<p>做 means 'do' or 'perform' when it is followed by a task. e.g. 做法事，做宣传，做工木，做手术. But when it is followed by an identity, it is almost interchangeable with 当 (当 being more formal)</p>
<p>Examples: 做好人，做警察，做媒人，做法官</p>
<p>Mandarin usually use 当 for 'working as/ take on the role or position of', but some regions prefer 做. (Cantonese use 做 instead )</p>
<p>Related question: <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27715/whats-the-difference-between-%E6%88%91%E6%98%AF%E8%80%81%E5%B8%88-or-%E6%88%91%E5%BD%93%E8%80%81%E5%B8%88">What's the difference between 我是老师 or 我当老师?</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-05T05:41:21.850Z
Quote:- "Cantonese use 做 instead" So do the Hakka. It actually sounds strange using 当 in Hakka in the context of OP's question. There is also the term "当做", meaning to regard or to pretend something or someone as some other.
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-05T05:46:39.877Z
当 in 当做 is a different usage of 当; Cantonese never say 当律师 instead of 做律师. My impression is, Mandarin is another way around
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-05T04:24:04.743Z
2020-08-05T04:31:03.847Z
2020-08-05T04:31:03.847Z
Tang Ho
<blockquote>
<p>我一毕业就去上海“当”律师
This sentence is given to me in the book.
However, I wonder if I can write it like this instead of using another word:</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>我一毕业就去上海”做“律师？</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I think the meaning is the same, but which is grammatically correct?</p>

<word-choice><word>
I want to understand if I can use 做 instead of 当？
# I want to understand if I can use 做 instead of 当？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-08-05)

> 我一毕业就去上海“当”律师
> This sentence is given to me in the book.
> However, I wonder if I can write it like this instead of using another word:

> 我一毕业就去上海”做“律师？

I think the meaning is the same, but which is grammatically correct?

**Tags:** word-choice, word


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-08-05. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

当 is grammarly correct, it means "to be"

当...（职业）is the correct expression. for example:

当老师，当医生，当科学家, and it cannot be replaced by 做.

做, means "do", is to ask someone's occupation. for example:

你是做什么的？what you do for a living? it cannot be replaced by 当.

so 我一毕业就去上海”做“律师？ is a strange way to say but we also understand.

BTW, I think most of the problems asked in this Chinese Language section is simply because you guys don't have the context or not familiar with the convention.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2020-08-05. Score: 1

当 is a verb that means 'to be/ working as/ take on the role or position of' when it is followed by an identity

Examples: 当好人，当警察，当媒人，当法官

做 means 'do' or 'perform' when it is followed by a task. e.g. 做法事，做宣传，做工木，做手术. But when it is followed by an identity, it is almost interchangeable with 当 (当 being more formal)

Examples: 做好人，做警察，做媒人，做法官

Mandarin usually use 当 for 'working as/ take on the role or position of', but some regions prefer 做. (Cantonese use 做 instead )

Related question: [What's the difference between 我是老师 or 我当老师?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27715/whats-the-difference-between-%E6%88%91%E6%98%AF%E8%80%81%E5%B8%88-or-%E6%88%91%E5%BD%93%E8%80%81%E5%B8%88)

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Quote:- "Cantonese use 做 instead" So do the Hakka. It actually sounds strange using 当 in Hakka in the context of OP's question. There is also the term "当做", meaning to regard or to pretend something or someone as some other.  
> **username_2**: 当 in 当做 is a different usage of 当; Cantonese never say 当律师 instead of 做律师. My impression is, Mandarin is another way around  

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