任务 (rèn wù) means 'task' or 'assignment' — a specific piece of work that someone is expected or required to complete. The character 任 (rèn) conveys the idea of 'to entrust', 'to appoint', or 'to assume responsibility', while 务 (wù) means 'affair', 'duty', or 'matter'. Together, they emphasize an obligation or duty assigned by another person or institution, not just any activity. It’s commonly used in academic, workplace, and daily life contexts — for example, homework assignments, job responsibilities, or household chores delegated by a parent.

This word carries a formal or neutral tone and often implies accountability: completing a 任务 usually involves meeting expectations or deadlines. Unlike more casual words like 活儿 (huó’r, 'job' or 'piece of work'), 任务 suggests structure, purpose, and sometimes authority behind the assignment. It can be modified by measure words like 一项 (yī xiàng) or 一个 (yī gè), and frequently appears with verbs such as 完成 (wánchéng, 'to complete'), 分配 (fēnpèi, 'to assign'), or 接受 (jiēshòu, 'to accept').