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凡事 (fán shì) — everything (in a general sense), all matters, every matter

Definition

Literary noun meaning 'everything, all matters' — used in set phrases and proverbs rather than everyday speech, often paired with 都 ('in everything').

noun
everything (in a general sense)all mattersevery matter

Examples

  • 凡事。
    fán shì Dōu yǒu liǎng miàn xìng.
    Everything has two sides.
  • 凡事。
    Tā zhè ge rén fán shì dōu tì bié rén zhuó xiǎng.
    This person thinks of others in everything.
  • 凡事。
    fán shì Dōu yào tí qián zhǔn bèi.
    Everything needs to be prepared in advance.

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.

凡fánevery
事shìmatter

凡 means every and 事 means matter, giving all things or matters.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

Open 凡 →

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 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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