(shì) - matter, affair, thing (abstract) in Mandarin
shìTraditional: 事
Translation
matter, affair, thing (abstract)
Word origin
事 (shì) means 'matter, affair'. It is an early pictograph related to 史 and 吏, depicting a hand holding an implement or banner, associated with conducting business or official duty, from which the sense of an affair or task developed.
- Origin
- pictograph
- Root
- hand holding an implement (cognate with 史 scribe and 吏 official)
Stroke order
事
Examples
？
What is the matter? / What do you need?
。
This matter is very important.
。
I have a lot of things to do today.
。
I will handle this matter properly.
？
What has happened?
Where this fits
Appears in 13 words
Multi-character compounds in the corpus that contain 事.
Used in
Stories
(13)你去吗？
1 min read · Core 1000
在这里
1 min read · Core 1000
不知道在哪里
2 min read · Core 1000
打电话
3 min read · Core 1000
大伟的工作
3 min read · Core 1000
上班第一天
3 min read · Core 1000
下雨的下午
3 min read · Core 1000
今年去哪里
4 min read · Core 1000
新工作的第一天
4 min read · Core 1000
旧手机
5 min read · Core 5000
看场合
5 min read · Core 1000
想起那个约定
5 min read · Core 5000
中间的树
5 min read · Core 5000
Grammar articles
(22)Mandarin Advanced Grammar (C1-C2 / HSK 6+): Chengyu, Classical Remnants, and Register
The Mandarin 把 (bǎ) Construction: Fronting the Object to Say What You Did To It
Mandarin Causatives 使 (shǐ), 令 (lìng) and 让 (ràng): Making Someone Feel or Do Something
Asking How + Adjective in Mandarin with 多: 多高, 多远, 多长, 多大
Mandarin Demonstratives: 这 (zhè) and 那 (nà), One Form Each, No Agreement
Figurative Directional Complements in Mandarin: 起来, 下去 and 出来 Beyond Up, Down and Out
Mandarin Existential and Presentative Sentences: 有, 出现, 发生 and Why New Things Go After the Verb
Mandarin Four-Character Idioms (四字格): The Shape, Not the List
The Mandarin 连...都/也 Construction: How to Say 'Even', and Why the Word Has to Move
Mandarin Modal Verbs: 会, 想, 要, 应该, 可以, 能 and the Future-Intent Words 打算, 准备
Mandarin Negation: 不 (bù) vs 没 (méi), and Why 不有 Does Not Exist
Mandarin Potential Complements: Can You Reach the Result? (吃得完, 听不懂, 买不起)
Mandarin Rhetorical Questions: 难道, 不是...吗, 何必 and 岂不
The Mandarin 是…的 (shì...de) Construction: Highlighting When, Where, and How Something Happened
The Mandarin 所 (suǒ) Family: 所有, 所谓, 所 + Verb, and the 为...所 Passive
Topic-Comment Structure in Mandarin: Fronting 这本书我看过 and Why Word Order Bends
无论 and 不管 in Mandarin: The No Matter What Frame (无论/不管 ... 都/也)
Yes-No Questions in Mandarin: 吗 (ma), Echo Answers, and the Bounce-Back 呢 (ne)
The Mandarin 以 (yǐ) Family: 以为, 以及, 以便, 以免, 以来 and 以...为...
又 (yòu) vs 再 (zài) vs 还 (hái) in Mandarin: The Three Ways to Say 'Again'
The Mandarin 于 (yú) Family: 对于, 关于, 由于, 至于, 属于, 位于, 终于
Mandarin 之 (zhī): 之一, 之间, 之后, 之中, 总之 and the Written Ancestor of 的
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事: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "事" (matter, affair, thing (abstract)): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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