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碍事 (ài shì) — to be in the way, to be a hindrance; (often in the negative) to matter, to be of consequence

Definition

碍事 means 'to be in the way / hinder' or, in the negative, 'to matter' (e.g. 不碍事 = 'it doesn't matter'). As a separable verb, you can insert something between 碍 and 事: 别碍他的事 ('don't get in his way').

to be in the wayto be a hindrance(often in the negative) to matterto be of consequence

Examples

  • 碍事。
    Zhè zhāng zhuō zi fàng zài zhè lǐ tài ài shì le.
    This table is too much in the way here.
  • ，碍事。
    Tā shēng bìng le, dàn gōng zuò bú ài shì.
    He is sick, but it doesn't matter for work.
  • 碍事。
    Bié zhàn zài mén kǒu ài shì.
    Don't stand in the doorway and block the way.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

碍àihinder
事shìmatter

碍 means to hinder and 事 means matters, so it describes something obstructing.

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 礙; 碍 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
石石shí
Sound part声符shēngfú
疑
疑yí礙ài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 礙 combines 石 (stone) with 疑 as a sound part.

Open 碍 →

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
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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