大事

• Pinyin: dà shì
• Hanzi breakdown: 大 (big, major) + 事 (matter, event)

Meaning

Major event; important matter; big deal.

Refers to significant events or matters that require attention. Can be life milestones (marriage, career decisions), organizational matters, or current affairs. Often used in phrases like 大事不好 (something bad has happened) or 终身大事 (marriage).

Examples

1. 结婚是人生大事，不能草率决定。 Marriage is a major life event — you can't decide hastily.
2. 公司最近要做出一个重大决定，这是大事。 The company is about to make an important decision; this is a big deal.
3. 小事不用担心，专心处理大事就好。 Don't worry about small things — just focus on handling the big stuff.

Usage Guide

Context: life decisions, business, current events

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 别担心，没什么大事。(Don't worry, it's nothing major.)
• 国家大事和我们每个人都有关。(National affairs concern each one of us.)

Don't Say

• 说'这是一件大事情'略显啰嗦——'大事'已经包含'事情'的意思，不需要重复 (Saying 这是一件大事情 is redundant — 大事 already includes the meaning of 事情)

Origin & History

Compound of 大 (big, major) + 事 (matter, event), meaning a significant matter.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal