当务之急

• Pinyin: dāng wù zhī jí
• Hanzi breakdown: 当 = current; 务 = 夂 + 矛 (affairs, duty); 之 = structural particle; 急 = 刀 + 口 + 心 (urgent)

Meaning

The most pressing matter at hand; the top priority that must be addressed immediately above all else.

A classical four-character idiom emphasising immediate priorities. Commonly used in formal speeches, official documents, and strategic planning to identify the single most critical action required at a given moment.

Examples

1. 灾后重建是当前的当务之急，必须集中资源尽快推进。 Post-disaster reconstruction is the current top priority, and resources must be concentrated to move it forward as quickly as possible.
2. 解决资金短缺问题是公司目前的当务之急。 Solving the funding shortage is the company's most urgent task at present.
3. 领导明确指出，提升核心竞争力是企业的当务之急。 The leader clearly pointed out that improving core competitiveness is the enterprise's top priority.

Usage Guide

Context: management, politics, strategy, crisis response

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 应对人才流失是企业当前的当务之急。(Addressing the talent drain is the company's most pressing priority at this moment.)
• 如何恢复公众信任是政府面临的当务之急。(How to restore public trust is the most urgent task facing the government.)

Don't Say

• 吃饭是我的当务之急 — 当务之急 is reserved for serious, consequential priorities; using it for trivial matters sounds absurd

Origin & History

当 (current) + 务 (affairs, tasks) + 之 (structural particle) + 急 (urgent) — classical Chinese: the urgent matter of current affairs

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal