Usage note
当作表示把某物看作或用作。
dàng zuò biǎo shì bǎ mǒu wù kàn zuò huò yòng zuò。
当作 means to treat something as or use it as.
Context note
当作常用于比喻、用途和判断。
dàng zuò cháng yòng yú bǐ yù 、 yòng tú hé pàn duàn。
It is often used with metaphor, use, and judgment.
5 examples
把这个当作礼物。
bǎ zhè ge dàng zuò lǐ wù。
Treat this as a gift.
他把这里当作家。
tā bǎ zhè lǐ dàng zuò jiā。
He treats this place as home.
别当作笑话。
bié dàng zuò xiào huà。
Do not take it as a joke.
把这个当作参考。
bǎ zhè ge dàng zuò cān kǎo。
Use this as a reference.
她把这次失败当作经验。
tā bǎ zhè cì shī bài dàng zuò jīng yàn。
She takes this failure as experience.
5 mini stories
孩子把小石头当作宝贝。
hái zi bǎ xiǎo shí tou dàng zuò bǎo bèi。
The child treats the small stone as a treasure.
老师把这个例子当作重点。
lǎo shī bǎ zhè ge lì zǐ dàng zuò zhòng diǎn。
The teacher treats this example as a key point.
他把这里当作自己的家。
tā bǎ zhè lǐ dàng zuò zì jǐ de jiā。
He treats this place as his home.
不要把提醒当作批评。
bú yào bǎ tí xǐng dàng zuò pī píng。
Do not take a reminder as criticism.
她把读书当作一种习惯。
tā bǎ dú shū dàng zuò yì zhǒng xí guàn。
She treats reading as a habit.
Mini dialogue
当作朋友
A
你可以把我当作好朋友。
Nǐ kěyǐ bǎ wǒ dàngzuò hǎo péngyou.
You can take me as a good friend.
B
好的，我把你当作姐姐。
Hǎo de, wǒ bǎ nǐ dàngzuò jiějie.
Okay, I take you as an older sister.
当作礼物
A
这个石头可以当作礼物吗？
Zhège shítou kěyǐ dàngzuò lǐwù ma?
Can this stone be taken as a gift?
B
可以，我把它当作宝贝。
Kěyǐ, wǒ bǎ tā dàngzuò bǎobèi.
Yes, I take it as a treasure.
Related words and contrasts
similar
看作
kàn zuò
regard as
Both mean 'to treat as', but 当作 often implies using something as something else.
contrast
成为
chéng wéi
to become
当作 means 'to take as' (a choice), while 成为 means 'to become' (a change).