Chinese word

事故

Pronunciation

Pinyinshì gù

Meaning

  • nounaccident

Example

开车要小心，别发生事故。kāi chē yào xiǎo xīn bié fā shēng shì gù

Be careful when driving so you do not get into an accident.

Illustration for 事故 (accident)

More examples

昨天路上发生了事故，很多人受伤。zuó tiān lù shàng fā shēng liǎo shì gù hěn duō rén shòu shāng

An accident happened on the road yesterday, and many people were injured.

Core concept

An unexpected event turns a mistake or mishap into real damage.

Common phrases

  • 发生事故fā shēng shì gù

    have an accident

  • 交通事故jiāo tōng shì gù

    traffic accident

  • 发生交通事故fā shēng jiāo tōng shì gù

    have a traffic accident

Similar words

意外yì wài: An event or outcome that comes as a surprise because it was not expected.
事件shì jiàn: An event that draws public attention, often because of conflict or possible crime.

Definition in Chinese

由于意外或过失发生、对人身或财产造成损害的突发事件。yóu yú yì wài huò guò shī fā shēng duì rén shēn huò cái chǎn zào chéng sǔn hài de tū fā shì jiàn

Word origin

事故 (shìgù, "accident") combines 事 (shì, "event") with 故 (gù, "cause or circumstance"), forming the idea of a harmful event arising from chance or error.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this noun often sounds formal and serious, so casual conversation may use a less formal expression for a minor mishap.

Opposites

Related words

  • 交通事故jiāo tōng shì gùtraffic accidentnoun
  • 事故调查shì gù diào cháaccident investigationnoun

Word lists with this word