事关 (shì guān) — to concern; to involve; to be about (a serious matter)

Definition

Formal written phrase meaning 'to concern / to involve' something important (interests, safety, success). Usually highlights that a matter is at stake, more weighty than plain 有关.

verb
to concernto involveto be about (a serious matter)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè jiàn shì shì guān gōng sī de wèi lái.
    This matter concerns the company's future.
  • 事关，。
    shì guān Zhòng dà, wǒ men bì xū rèn zhēn duì dài.
    It's a matter of great importance; we must take it seriously.
  • 事关，。
    shì guān Guó jiā lì yì, bù néng diào yǐ qīng xīn.
    It concerns national interests; we cannot take it lightly.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

事shìmatter
关guānto relate

事关 puts 事 (matter) with 关 (to relate), meaning a matter relates to something.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 關; 关 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門méndoor
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢇅
𢇅𢇅關guān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 关, the traditional form 關 shows 門 as a door and 𢇅 as two wooden sticks locking it, with ring-like marks on top.

Open 关 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.