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好事 (hǎo shì) — (stative verb) meddlesome, officious

Definition

In this sense, 好事 (hàoshì) describes a person who can't help poking into other people's business — 'meddlesome, officious'. It is a negative judgement on character, not a positive 'good deed' (the more common reading of 好事 hǎoshì).

adjective
(stative verb) meddlesomeofficious

Examples

  • 好事，。
    Tā zhè ge rén hěn hǎo shì, shén me dōu xiǎng guǎn yì guǎn.
    He is very meddlesome and wants to have a say in everything.
  • 好事，。
    Bié nà me hǎo shì, bié rén de shì nǐ bú yòng cāo xīn.
    Don't be so officious; you don't need to worry about other people's affairs.
  • 好事。
    Tā yīn wèi tài hǎo shì ér bèi péng you shū yuǎn le.
    She was alienated by her friends because she was too meddlesome.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

好hǎofond of
事shìmatters

好 means fond of and 事 means matters, so the word describes someone fond of meddling.

Characters in this word

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

好 joins 女 (woman) and 子 (child), understood as a woman with a child, linked to goodness or affection.

Open 好 →

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
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