<p>做 also means '(to) do' in 不愿意做奴隶的人们, you can try to translate it like this: the folks who don't want to do a slaver('s job).</p>

<p>Another example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我长大之后要做医生<br>
  I want to [be a doctor]/[do a doctor's job] when I grow up.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>做 means some kind of action, while 是 means it's a state.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2012-02-15T13:31:38.707Z
2020-01-12T01:20:21.893Z
2020-01-12T01:20:21.893Z
Fivesheep
<p>In this context, 做 means "to function as."
不愿做奴隶人们 means, "I don't want to function as (do the role of) a slave."</p>

<p>The idiomatic English expression would be "I don't want to BE a slave."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-03T20:40:59.887Z
2013-02-03T20:40:59.887Z
Tom Au
<p>I'd just like to add some more examples.  If you're like me, it takes more than one example to get a non-superficial understanding.</p>
<h3>To be [some role]</h3>
<blockquote>
<p>永远<strong>做</strong>人民的保护神!<sup><a href="https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1655317617037927711&amp;wfr=spider&amp;for=pc" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
Forever <strong>be</strong> the people's guardian angel</p>
<p><strong>做</strong>老师简直太难了!<sup><a href="https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1644107166459016004&amp;wfr=spider&amp;for=pc" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
<strong>To be</strong> a teacher [is] simply difficult!</p>
<p>别再花钱去理发店<strong>做</strong>造型了!<sup><a href="https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1641851537491721240&amp;wfr=spider&amp;for=pc" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
Don't again spend money going to the hairdressers <strong>to be</strong> a model</p>
<p>射手座真的适合<strong>做</strong>爱人吗?<sup><a href="https://new.qq.com/omn/20181127/20181127A0FAF0.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
Is [a] Sagittarius really suitable <strong>to be</strong> a lover?</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>To be a [something]</h3>
<blockquote>
<p>其实我不想<strong>做一个</strong>虚伪的人<sup><a href="https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1655432078010242289&amp;wfr=spider&amp;for=pc" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
In fact, I don't want <strong>to be a</strong> hypocritical person</p>
<p>如何<strong>做一个</strong>人见人爱的好媳妇?<sup><a href="https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1655167794780327190&amp;wfr=spider&amp;for=pc" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
How <strong>to be a</strong> loved-by-all good daughter-in-law?</p>
<p>别胡思乱想了，<strong>做一头</strong>猪吧<sup><a href="https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1648071594019681679&amp;wfr=spider&amp;for=pc" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
Don't let your imagination run wild, [and] <strong>be a</strong> pig</p>
<p>在故宫<strong>做一只</strong>猫，是什么样的一种感受?<sup><a href="https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1655228519330488200&amp;wfr=spider&amp;for=pc" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
In the Forbidden City, <strong>to be a</strong> cat, is what kind of feeling?<br />
(Or: What does it feel like <strong>to be a</strong> cat in the Forbidden City?)</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>Cannot be [some role]</h3>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>做不成</strong>男女朋友 可以<strong>做</strong>兄妹吗?<sup><a href="https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/2059192329719390827.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
[If we] <strong>cannot be</strong> boyfriend and girlfriend, can we <strong>be</strong> older brother and younger sister?</p>
<p>为什么<strong>做不成</strong>恋人，也<strong>做不成</strong>朋友?<sup><a href="https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1650087057648199172&amp;wfr=spider&amp;for=pc" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
Why [we] <strong>cannot be</strong> sweethearts, [and] also <strong>cannot be</strong> friends</p>
<p><strong>做不了</strong>自己的主人,就会成为别人的道具<sup><a href="https://wenku.baidu.com/view/d8f4d181ce84b9d528ea81c758f5f61fb63628e7.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
[If you] <strong>cannot be</strong> your own master, [you] become another person's prop</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>Cannot be a [something]</h3>
<blockquote>
<p>是什么阻止了你,<strong>做不成一个</strong>勤俭持家的人?<sup><a href="http://www.sohu.com/a/243471373_100221664" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
What is preventing you; <strong>cannot be a</strong> hardworking housekeeping person?</p>
<p>你注定<strong>做不成一只</strong>树懒<sup><a href="http://qikan.cqvip.com/Qikan/Article/Detail?id=34608973" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
I am destined <strong>to not be a</strong> sloth</p>
<p>572巴士车上,我<strong>做不了一只</strong><a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E7%89%B9%E8%A1%8C%E7%8B%AC%E7%AB%8B/10771165" rel="nofollow noreferrer">独立特行</a>的猪?<sup><a href="http://bbs.tianya.cn/post-41-733043-1.shtml" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup><br />
On the 572 bus, I <strong>cannot be an</strong> independent-behavior pig.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-12T02:29:11.420Z
2020-01-12T02:29:11.420Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Becky 李蓓
<p>"做" has a meaning of "充当，担任" (serves as, work as) (from 现代汉语词典 Modern Chinese Dictionary). It is different from "是" (to be).</p>

<p>The nuance of English and Chinese here is a little different. In Chinese, we don't say "I don't want to be [a slave]" (我不愿是[奴隶]). It is always "I don't want to serve as (become, etc.) a slave" (我不愿做(成为)奴隶).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-16T13:08:06.720Z
2012-02-16T13:08:06.720Z
fefe
<p>Can someone please clarify how and when 做 is used to mean "to be" e.g.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>不愿做奴隶人们</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I am familiar with 做 meaning "to do" or "to make", and I would expect that if I was saying "I am a slave", “我是一个奴隶“ would be preferable to “我做一个奴隶“</p>

<p>Why is 做 used in the first instance?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-15T13:30:22.187Z
In my short experience with chinese, I've seen 做 used as *to do* in terms of work or activity, so maybe slavery is considered as such, and then, instead of *being*  a slave, in chinese you say *do slavery (as an activity)*
Petruza
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-16T03:53:45.993Z
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%81%9A I think this wiktionary page can explain something~ 做: 1. work, make; 2. act
Dante WWWW
<grammar><usage><verbs>
How and when is 做 used as the verb "to be"?
# How and when is 做 used as the verb "to be"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-02-15)

Can someone please clarify how and when 做 is used to mean "to be" e.g.

> 不愿做奴隶人们

I am familiar with 做 meaning "to do" or "to make", and I would expect that if I was saying "I am a slave", “我是一个奴隶“ would be preferable to “我做一个奴隶“

Why is 做 used in the first instance?

**Tags:** grammar, usage, verbs

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: In my short experience with chinese, I've seen 做 used as *to do* in terms of work or activity, so maybe slavery is considered as such, and then, instead of *being*  a slave, in chinese you say *do slavery (as an activity)*  
> **username_2**: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%81%9A I think this wiktionary page can explain something~ 做: 1. work, make; 2. act  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2012-02-16. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

"做" has a meaning of "充当，担任" (serves as, work as) (from 现代汉语词典 Modern Chinese Dictionary). It is different from "是" (to be).

The nuance of English and Chinese here is a little different. In Chinese, we don't say "I don't want to be [a slave]" (我不愿是[奴隶]). It is always "I don't want to serve as (become, etc.) a slave" (我不愿做(成为)奴隶).


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-02-15. Score: 4

做 also means '(to) do' in 不愿意做奴隶的人们, you can try to translate it like this: the folks who don't want to do a slaver('s job).

Another example:

> 我长大之后要做医生  
> I want to [be a doctor]/[do a doctor's job] when I grow up.

做 means some kind of action, while 是 means it's a state.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2013-02-03. Score: 2

In this context, 做 means "to function as."
不愿做奴隶人们 means, "I don't want to function as (do the role of) a slave."

The idiomatic English expression would be "I don't want to BE a slave."


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2020-01-12. Score: 0

I'd just like to add some more examples. If you're like me, it takes more than one example to get a non-superficial understanding.

### To be [some role]

> 永远**做**人民的保护神![[src]](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1655317617037927711&wfr=spider&for=pc)  
> Forever **be** the people's guardian angel
>
> **做**老师简直太难了![[src]](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1644107166459016004&wfr=spider&for=pc)  
> **To be** a teacher [is] simply difficult!
>
> 别再花钱去理发店**做**造型了![[src]](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1641851537491721240&wfr=spider&for=pc)  
> Don't again spend money going to the hairdressers **to be** a model
>
> 射手座真的适合**做**爱人吗?[[src]](https://new.qq.com/omn/20181127/20181127A0FAF0.html)  
> Is [a] Sagittarius really suitable **to be** a lover?

### To be a [something]

> 其实我不想**做一个**虚伪的人[[src]](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1655432078010242289&wfr=spider&for=pc)  
> In fact, I don't want **to be a** hypocritical person
>
> 如何**做一个**人见人爱的好媳妇?[[src]](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1655167794780327190&wfr=spider&for=pc)  
> How **to be a** loved-by-all good daughter-in-law?
>
> 别胡思乱想了，**做一头**猪吧[[src]](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1648071594019681679&wfr=spider&for=pc)  
> Don't let your imagination run wild, [and] **be a** pig
>
> 在故宫**做一只**猫，是什么样的一种感受?[[src]](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1655228519330488200&wfr=spider&for=pc)  
> In the Forbidden City, **to be a** cat, is what kind of feeling?  
> (Or: What does it feel like **to be a** cat in the Forbidden City?)

### Cannot be [some role]

> **做不成**男女朋友 可以**做**兄妹吗?[[src]](https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/2059192329719390827.html)  
> [If we] **cannot be** boyfriend and girlfriend, can we **be** older brother and younger sister?
>
> 为什么**做不成**恋人，也**做不成**朋友?[[src]](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1650087057648199172&wfr=spider&for=pc)  
> Why [we] **cannot be** sweethearts, [and] also **cannot be** friends
>
> **做不了**自己的主人,就会成为别人的道具[[src]](https://wenku.baidu.com/view/d8f4d181ce84b9d528ea81c758f5f61fb63628e7.html)  
> [If you] **cannot be** your own master, [you] become another person's prop

### Cannot be a [something]

> 是什么阻止了你,**做不成一个**勤俭持家的人?[[src]](http://www.sohu.com/a/243471373_100221664)  
> What is preventing you; **cannot be a** hardworking housekeeping person?
>
> 你注定**做不成一只**树懒[[src]](http://qikan.cqvip.com/Qikan/Article/Detail?id=34608973)  
> I am destined **to not be a** sloth
>
> 572巴士车上,我**做不了一只**[独立特行](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E7%89%B9%E8%A1%8C%E7%8B%AC%E7%AB%8B/10771165)的猪?[[src]](http://bbs.tianya.cn/post-41-733043-1.shtml)  
> On the 572 bus, I **cannot be an** independent-behavior pig.


---

