做
zuò
The verb that shapes something out of nothing: 做
The picture Hands working material until a shape exists that wasn't there before. 做 leaves a made shape behind; 干 is throwing your body into the work, whether or not anything is left standing.
Where the picture shows up in 做
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ingredients become a meal
今天我来做饭。
jīntiān wǒ lái zuòfàn
I'll cook tonight.
Spring onion and meat on the board going through the pan and coming out as a steaming meal on the table
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leather becomes a bag
这个包是牛皮做的。
zhège bāo shì niúpí zuò de
This bag is made of cowhide.
A flat hide being cut and stitched until it stands up as a bag with handles
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a task becomes a result
这件事我来做。
zhè jiàn shì wǒ lái zuò
I'll take care of this one.
A stack of paperwork on the desk passing through your hands and coming out stamped and finished
做 suits work that leaves something behind. For merely carrying an action out, 干 or 办 often fits better.
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a person takes the shape of a trade
你做什么工作？
nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò
What do you do for a living?
A person being dressed in the overalls and name badge of a trade until the trade's shape fits them
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a person becomes that role
她现在做经理。
tā xiànzài zuò jīnglǐ
She's a manager now.
Someone stepping into the manager's chair and filling out the shape of that post
All of it in one picture
做 is hands working material until a shape exists. Onions and meat become dinner, so you cook; a flat hide becomes a bag, so it is made of leather; a stack of paperwork becomes a finished result, so you handle it. A trade's shape settles onto a person and that is what they do; a person fills out the shape of a post and that is what they are. So after 做 there is always some shape left standing that was not there before.