affair, matter, business; to serve; accident, incident
HSK 1, n, 8 strokes, radical 亅, rank #53, Easy
shì(shi4) T4
1matter
2thing
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March 24, 2026
事shì(shi4)
The character 事 (shì) refers to a matter, affair, or incident. It is commonly used in contexts related to work or business, and can also signify events or items of interest. This character frequently appears in expressions involving tasks or responsibilities.
Strokes8Radical亅Frequency#53DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 事 is often tied to social obligations and responsibilities, reflecting the importance of maintaining relationships through various affairs, often referred to in business and family contexts.
Memory Tip
Imagine a busy person juggling several tasks (事) at once. The character has a component resembling a 'person' (人) in its structure, suggesting that various actions or matters involve people. The pronunciation 'shì' can be remembered by imagining someone shouting 'She! (事)' when calling attention to a matter.
Meanings of 事
shì(shi4)
1matter
2thing
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 事
事Simplified
8Strokes
亅Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#53Frequency Rank
件Measure Word
HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1BCT✓CEFRA1
Podcast: 事
Podcast: 事
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AI Study Notes for 事
Quick Contrast
事 (shì) vs 事情 (shìqíng) — use 事 for a more general or abstract reference to a matter, while 事情 specifies a situation or event with more detail.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 事 (shì) with similar-sounding characters. It is often used in formal contexts, so be mindful of the tone when discussing work or business matters. Common collocations include 事情 (shìqíng, affair) and 工作 (gōngzuò, work).
HSK Study Tips
事 is relevant at HSK Level 3, connecting with other commonly used terms like 事情 (shìqíng) and 工作 (gōngzuò). Students should focus on its usage in sentences related to daily activities and responsibilities.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 事 (shì) with 视 (shì, to see). For example, saying '我有很多视' (wǒ yǒu hěn duō shì) instead of '我有很多事' (wǒ yǒu hěn duō shì) leads to confusion, as the first sentence incorrectly translates to 'I have many sights' instead of 'I have many matters'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 事
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The characters 史 (history), 吏 (government official), 使 (cause; use; instruct), and 事 (matter; work; affair) are all etymologically related and all derive from the same ancient character, depicting a hand (又) holding some object.
There are vario
The characters 史 (history), 吏 (government official), 使 (cause; use; instruct), and 事 (matter; work; affair) are all etymologically related and all derive from the same ancient character, depicting a hand (又) holding some object.
There are vario
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 事? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
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Decomposition of 事
IDS Structure⿻⿳一口彐亅
事Full Character
=
一yi1
top
口kou3
middle
彐ji4
bottom
亅jue2
Exercise 1 of 3
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 事?
How to say matter in Chinese
“matter” in Chinese is事shì
The character 事 (shì) refers to a matter, affair, or incident. It is commonly used in contexts related to work or business, and can also signify events or items of interest. This character frequently appears in expressions involving tasks or responsibilities.
When to use 事
Be careful not to confuse 事 (shì) with similar-sounding characters. It is often used in formal contexts, so be mindful of the tone when discussing work or business matters. Common collocations include 事情 (shìqíng, affair) and 工作 (gōngzuò, work).
事 or something close to it
事 (shì) vs 事情 (shìqíng) — use 事 for a more general or abstract reference to a matter, while 事情 specifies a situation or event with more detail.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 事 (shì) with 视 (shì, to see). For example, saying '我有很多视' (wǒ yǒu hěn duō shì) instead of '我有很多事' (wǒ yǒu hěn duō shì) leads to confusion, as the first sentence incorrectly translates to 'I have many sights' instead of 'I have many matters'.
Write 事
事
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Practice writing 事 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 事
事 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
