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事端 (shì duān) — disturbance; incident; trouble (usually negative or conflict-related)

Definition

A literary/formal noun for 'incident' or 'disturbance' — usually a conflict, dispute, or trouble that has flared up. Pairs with 引起 (cause) or 挑起 (provoke), not everyday verbs.

noun
disturbanceincidenttrouble (usually negative or conflict-related)

Examples

  • 事端。
    Tā bù xī wàng yǐn qǐ rèn hé shì duān.
    He doesn't want to cause any trouble.
  • 事端。
    Zhè ge shì duān bèi méi tǐ kuā dà le.
    This incident was exaggerated by the media.
  • 事端。
    Zhèng fǔ xùn sù chǔ lǐ le zhè yí shì duān.
    The government quickly handled this disturbance.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

事shìaffair; matter
端duānaffair; matter

事 and 端 both refer to an affair or incident, together naming a troublesome event.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In 事, 又 is a hand and 中 is a flagpole with a drum; holding a flag in hand depicts performing a job.

Open 事 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
立立lì
Sound part声符shēngfú
耑
耑zhuān端duān
Same sound today

端 is made by putting 立 beside 耑. The 立 part is connected to the meaning, and 耑 gives the sound.

Open 端 →
Appears in
Conflict & Agreement

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