Chinese word

有事

Pronunciation

Pinyinyǒu shì

Meaning

  • verbhave something to do

Example

我今天下午有事，不能参加会议。wǒ jīn tiān xià wǔ yǒu shì bù néng cān jiā huì yì

I have something to do this afternoon, so I can't attend the meeting.

Illustration for 有事 (have something to do)

More examples

如果有事，请提前联系我。rú guǒ yǒu shì qǐng tí qián lián xì wǒ

If anything comes up, please contact me in advance.

Core concept

A task, appointment, or other commitment stands between the speaker and the activity under discussion.

Common phrases

  • 有事联系我yǒu shì lián xì wǒ

    contact me if anything comes up

  • 有事商量yǒu shì shāng liáng

    have something to discuss

Similar words

办事bàn shì: Taking care of a task, matter, or piece of business.
有空yǒu kòng: Having enough free time to join an activity or keep an appointment.
请假qǐng jià: Asking for permission to be away from work or school.
缺席quē xí: Not attending a meeting, class, or other event.

Definition in Chinese

有安排或需要处理的事务，常用来委婉说明不能参加或暂时不方便。yǒu ān pái huò xū yào chú lǐ de shì wù cháng yòng lái wéi wǎn shuō míng bù néng cān jiā huò zàn shí bù fāng biàn

Word origin

有 (yǒu, "have") + 事 (shì, "matter") literally presents the speaker as having a matter on hand, a natural way to signal limited availability without naming the matter.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may expect a specific task, but the Chinese phrase can also cover plans, appointments, or any personal commitment that makes participation inconvenient.

Other meanings

  • have something going onverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word