世事

shìshì

noun #9,894

Meanings

1 affairs of the world; worldly matters
2 the ways of the world

Characters

world; generation; era

matter; affair; thing

The matters of the world — worldly affairs and how life unfolds.

Examples

世事难料。

Shìshì nán liào.

The affairs of the world are hard to predict.

他经历了很多，看透了世事。

Tā jīnglì le hěn duō, kàn tòu le shìshì.

He's been through a lot and sees through worldly affairs.

世事无常，谁也说不准。

Shìshì wúcháng, shéi yě shuō bù zhǔn.

Life is unpredictable — nobody can say for sure.

Tips

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世事 is literary and philosophical in tone. In everyday conversation, people would more likely say 事情 (shìqíng) or 生活 (shēnghuó). You'll encounter 世事 in essays, proverbs, and reflective writing.

Stroke Order

世 shì

事 shì