务Tone 4

wù ｜ 5 strokes ｜ radical: 力

务 · wù

affair;

business;

must;

should;

to be engaged in;

to devote oneself to

affairbusinessmust

Usage highlights

taskbusinessdutyserviceaffairsmust

Synonyms

事— matter; affair
业— business; occupation
任— responsibility; duty

Antonyms

闲— leisure; idle
逸— ease; comfort

Usage & contexts

Examples

This is my personal business (私事).
You must complete the task (任务).
He is engaged in foreign affairs (外交事务).
We should study hard (务必努力学习).

Collocations

task(任务)
business(业务)
duty(义务)
service(服务)
affairs(事务)
must(务必)

Idioms

To be duty-bound and without hesitation(当务之急)
To be impractical and divorced from reality(不务正业)
To be in urgent need of attention(当务之急)
To be good at one's own job(各司其职)

Cultural background

Originally meant 'to exert strength' or 'to strive', later extended to mean 'affairs' or 'business' that require effort.
In Confucian culture, '务' emphasizes the importance of fulfilling one's duties and responsibilities.
Modern usage often appears in compound words related to work, service, and obligations.

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