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务实 (wù shí) — pragmatic, practical (focusing on concrete issues rather than theory)

Definition

务实 is an attitude: 'pragmatic, dealing with real problems rather than theory' (务实的人/态度). 实际 is the opposite of 'theory' (实践 vs 理论); 实用 describes things that are functional and work well.

pragmaticpractical (focusing on concrete issues rather than theory)

Examples

  • 务实，。
    Tā zuò shì hěn wù shí, cóng bù zhuī qiú biǎo miàn gōng fu.
    He is very pragmatic in his work and never goes after superficial efforts.
  • 务实，。
    Zhè ge zhèng cè fēi cháng wù shí, jiě jué le lǎo bǎi xìng de shí jì kùn nan.
    This policy is very pragmatic; it has solved the actual difficulties of ordinary people.
  • 务实。
    wù shí De tài dù bǐ kōng tán lǐ lùn gèng yǒu jià zhí.
    A pragmatic attitude is more valuable than empty theorizing.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

务wùattend to
实shíreality

务 means to attend to or seek, and 实 points to concrete reality, so the word means dealing with real matters.

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 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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

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