破事

• Pinyin: pò shì
• Hanzi breakdown: 破 (lousy / broken) + 事 (matter) -> annoying petty matter.

Meaning

Annoying trivial trouble or messy nonsense one does not want to deal with.

It is blunt and irritated, often used for errands, bureaucracy, petty conflicts, or repeated small problems. Avoid it in polite formal speech.

Examples

1. 这一堆破事，耽误我一下午。 This pile of 破事 has already wasted my whole afternoon.
2. 别为这点破事吵到半夜。 Don't argue all night over this bit of 破事.
3. 周一刚到公司就全是破事。 I got to the office on Monday and it was nothing but 破事.

Usage Guide

Context: friends, workplace, campus

Tone: irritated, blunt

Do Say

• 跟朋友抱怨杂事时可说一堆破事。（Use it among friends for annoying chores.）

Don't Say

• 在正式客服回复里写破事。（Too rude for formal service.）

Common Mistakes

• Using it for serious tragedy; it usually means irritating hassles.

Origin & History

Colloquial 破 as lousy or annoying plus 事, matter.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s-2020s

Generation: Students, Gen Z, and young office workers

Social background: Urban internet users

Regional notes: A common pressure-release phrase in work and life complaints.