杂务 (zá wù) — odd jobs, miscellaneous chores or duties

Definition

noun
odd jobsmiscellaneous chores or duties
Easily confused

Examples

  • 杂务。
    Tā měi tiān chǔ lǐ bàn gōng shì lǐ de gè zhǒng zá wù.
    He handles all kinds of odd jobs in the office every day.
  • 杂务。
    Zhōu mò zài jiā zuò zá wù yě shì yì zhǒng fàng sōng fāng shì.
    Doing odd jobs at home on weekends is also a way to relax.
  • ，杂务。
    Zhè fèn gōng zuò chú le zhèng shì, hái bāo lǎn dà liàng zá wù.
    This job includes a lot of sundry duties besides the main tasks.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

杂zámiscellaneous
务wùtasks

杂 miscellaneous and 务 tasks combine to mean miscellaneous tasks.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 雜; 杂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
集
集jí雜zá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 雜 pairs 衣 (clothes) with 集 as a sound part, originally referring to mixed colours, perhaps in dyed clothes; the simplified 杂 is a later shorthand.

Open 杂 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 務; 务 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
敄
敄wù務wù
Same sound today

In the traditional form 務, 力 shows the sense of strength or effort, while 敄 gives the sound. The simplified 务 is a later shorthand.

Open 务 →

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