家务事 (jiā wù shì) — housework, domestic chores

Definition

noun
houseworkdomestic chores
Measure word · 件

Examples

  • 家务事。
    Tā měi tiān zuò jiā wù shì.
    He does housework every day.
  • 家务事，。
    Tā bù xǐ huan zuò jiā wù shì, jué de tài lèi.
    She doesn't like doing housework; she thinks it's too tiring.
  • 家务事。
    Tā men wèi jiā wù shì jīng cháng chǎo jià.
    They often argue over domestic affairs.

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.

家务household affairs
家jiāhome务wùtasks
偏正Modifier + head
事shìmatters

家 refers to home and 务 to tasks; adding 事 frames them as household 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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢑓
𢑓𢑓家jiā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The early drawing of 家 showed a roof 宀 over a male-pig sign 𢑓 that gave the pronunciation; the lower part later changed shape.

Open 家 →

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.

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
Cleaning & Chores

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