avocation來自拉丁語avocare，意：“副業”、“消遣的事業”（a subordinate occupation,usually one pursued for pleasure and pastime），在近代英語裏，常用作hobby（嗜好）的同義詞。例：
My avocation is gardening.That''s why I often keep veral books on hou plants at hand.
我的業餘消遣是園藝，這正是為什麼我經常把數本關於家居植物的書放在手邊。
“What is your avocation?”—“Stamp-colleg is my avocation.”
“你的業餘愛好是什麼？”——“是集郵。”
vocation的意思是“職業”（profession or ordinary occupation），它大多指個人的興趣引導自己從事的工作。有時它也能用以表示“天職”、“作為使命而從事的工作”之意。
Did you mean he cho the wrong vocation？
你的意思是說他選錯了職業嗎？
Nursing,said Florenightingale,is a vocation as well as a profession.
佛羅倫絲·南丁格爾說，看護既是職業，也是天職。
vocation和avocation的區別可用下列一句話加以總結：
One''s "vocation" is one''s occupation,one''s work or employment; an "avocation" is that which calls one away from one''s vocation—hence,a minor subsidiary occupation,a by-work or even a hobby.