出事

• Pinyin: chū shì
• Hanzi breakdown: 出 = 凵 (container) + 屮 (sprout), to occur; 事 = 史 variant + 口, matter/incident

Meaning

To have an accident; something went wrong; trouble occurred.

A colloquial expression meaning that an accident, incident, or problem has occurred. Often implies something unexpected and usually negative. Can refer to car accidents, disasters, or any situation where something goes wrong.

Examples

1. 听说那条高速公路上出事了，堵了好几个小时。 I heard there was an accident on that highway and traffic was backed up for hours.
2. 他出事以后，整个家庭的经济状况急剧恶化。 After his accident, the family's financial situation deteriorated rapidly.
3. 这个项目不能出任何差错，否则就要出大事。 This project cannot have any mistakes, or something big will go wrong.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, news

Tone: concerned or alarmed

Do Say

• 他开车很小心，从来没出过事。(He drives very carefully and has never had an accident.)
• 万一出事了怎么办？(What if something goes wrong?)

Don't Say

• '出事'通常指负面事件，好事不用这个词 (出事 usually refers to negative incidents — don't use it for good things)

Origin & History

Combines 出 (to appear/occur) with 事 (matter/incident), meaning for an incident to occur.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal