Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== shìgù: 事故 - Accident, Incident, Mishap ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** 事故, shigu, Chinese for accident, traffic accident, incident in Chinese, what does shigu mean, 交通事故, 安全事故, Chinese safety * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese word **事故 (shìgù)**, which means "accident" or "incident." This term refers to unforeseen, unfortunate events with serious consequences, such as a traffic accident (交通事故) or a workplace mishap. Unlike a simple mistake, a `事故` implies damage, disruption, or injury, and is a key concept in discussions about safety and responsibility in China. This page breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical use with numerous examples. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** shìgù * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 * **Concise Definition:** An unforeseen and unfortunate event; an accident or incident causing damage or injury. * **In a Nutshell:** Think of **事故 (shìgù)** as the official word for an "accident" that's serious enough to be reported or have consequences. It's not for minor slip-ups like spilling your coffee. Instead, it describes events like car crashes, industrial failures, or power outages. The word carries a heavy, serious tone and is associated with disruption, damage, and the need for a response. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **事 (shì):** This character means "matter," "affair," "event," or "thing." It refers to any occurrence or situation. * **故 (gù):** This character can mean "cause" or "reason," but in classical Chinese and in many compounds, it specifically means "mishap," "incident," or "unfortunate event." When combined, **事故 (shìgù)** literally means an "event-mishap." The character **事 (shì)** establishes that it's an event, while **故 (gù)** gives it the specific negative quality of being an unfortunate, unplanned incident. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In Chinese culture, **事故 (shìgù)** is tightly linked to the concepts of **安全 (ānquán) - safety** and **责任 (zérèn) - responsibility**. There is a strong societal and governmental emphasis on preventing accidents, which is visible in ubiquitous public safety campaigns, strict workplace regulations, and school drills. A common slogan is **"安全第一，预防为主" (Ānquán dì yī, yùfáng wéi zhǔ)**, meaning "Safety first, prevention is key." Compared to the English word "accident," **事故 (shìgù)** carries a heavier weight and a stronger implication of accountability. While a minor event in English might be "just an accident" (implying no one is at fault), a **事故** in Chinese almost always triggers questions about its cause and who is responsible. This reflects a cultural perspective that values social order and holds that such disruptions are often preventable failures within a system, rather than purely random chance. Spilling a drink is an "oops," but a car crash is a **事故** that requires an investigation and assignment of liability. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== **事故 (shìgù)** is used in both formal and informal contexts, but it always retains its serious connotation. * **Formal and Official Use:** This is its most common usage. You will see it constantly in news reports, insurance documents, police reports, and official announcements. * **交通事故 (jiāotōng shìgù):** Traffic accident (the most common collocation). * **安全事故 (ānquán shìgù):** Safety accident (often used for workplaces). * **事故调查 (shìgù diàochá):** Accident investigation. * **Everyday Conversation:** People use it to describe significant mishaps in their own lives, even if they are relatively small on a grand scale. For example, a minor car fender-bender can be described as a **小事故 (xiǎo shìgù)** - a "small accident." However, the term still implies that it was a notable and negative event that caused trouble or damage. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 高速公路上发生了一起严重的交通**事故**。 * Pinyin: Gāosù gōnglù shàng fāshēngle yīqǐ yánzhòng de jiāotōng **shìgù**. * English: A serious traffic accident occurred on the highway. * Analysis: This is a classic, formal use of `事故`, typical of a news report. `一起 (yīqǐ)` is a measure word for incidents. * **Example 2:** * 工厂必须采取措施，防止发生安全**事故**。 * Pinyin: Gōngchǎng bìxū cǎiqǔ cuòshī, fángzhǐ fāshēng ānquán **shìgù**. * English: The factory must take measures to prevent safety accidents from happening. * Analysis: Here, `事故` is used as a general term for workplace accidents, highlighting the theme of prevention. * **Example 3:** * 别担心，我的车只是出了个小**事故**，没人受伤。 * Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, wǒ de chē zhǐshì chūle ge xiǎo **shìgù**, méi rén shòushāng. * English: Don't worry, my car just had a small accident, nobody was injured. * Analysis: The use of `小 (xiǎo)` downplays the severity but it's still an "accident," not a "mistake." `出事故 (chū shìgù)` is a common verb phrase meaning "to have an accident." * **Example 4:** * 警察正在调查**事故**的原因。 * Pinyin: Jǐngchá zhèngzài diàochá **shìgù** de yuányīn. * English: The police are investigating the cause of the accident. * Analysis: This shows `事故` as the subject of an investigation, highlighting the theme of accountability. * **Example 5:** * 这次停电**事故**影响了整个社区。 * Pinyin: Zhè cì tíngdiàn **shìgù** yǐngxiǎngle zhěnggè shèqū. * English: This power outage incident affected the entire community. * Analysis: `事故` can extend beyond traffic or work to describe major service disruptions, framing the power outage as a systemic failure. * **Example 6:** * 他是那次**事故**的唯一幸存者。 * Pinyin: Tā shì nà cì **shìgù** de wéiyī xìngcúnzhě. * English: He is the sole survivor of that accident. * Analysis: Demonstrates the serious and potentially fatal nature associated with the term `事故`. * **Example 7:** * 驾驶时玩手机很容易导致**事故**。 * Pinyin: Jiàshǐ shí wán shǒujī hěn róngyì dǎozhì **shìgù**. * English: Playing on your phone while driving can easily lead to an accident. * Analysis: `导致事故 (dǎozhì shìgù)` means "to lead to/cause an accident," a common and useful phrase. * **Example 8:** * **事故**发生后，他马上报了警。 * Pinyin: **Shìgù** fāshēng hòu, tā mǎshàng bàole jǐng. * English: After the accident happened, he immediately called the police. * Analysis: `发生 (fāshēng)` is the verb most commonly used with `事故` to mean "an accident occurred/happened." * **Example 9:** * 保险公司会赔偿**事故**造成的损失。 * Pinyin: Bǎoxiǎn gōngsī huì péicháng **shìgù** zàochéng de sǔnshī. * English: The insurance company will compensate for the losses caused by the accident. * Analysis: This highlights the financial and legal consequences that follow a `事故`. * **Example 10:** * 由于操作失误，引发了一场生产**事故**。 * Pinyin: Yóuyú cāozuò shīwù, yǐnfāle yī chǎng shēngchǎn **shìgù**. * English: Due to an operational error, a production accident was triggered. * Analysis: This sentence links an "error" (`失误 shīwù`) as the cause of a more serious `事故`. An error leads to an accident. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Don't use `事故` for minor mistakes:** This is the most common error for learners. Spilling a glass of water, making a typo in an email, or forgetting someone's name is a `错误 (cuòwù - mistake)` or `小事 (xiǎo shì - small matter)`, not a `事故`. A `事故` must involve some form of damage, injury, or significant disruption. * **Incorrect:** 我把咖啡洒了，真是个大**事故**！(Wǒ bǎ kāfēi sǎ le, zhēn shì ge dà shìgù!) - I spilled my coffee, what a big accident! * **Correct:** 我把咖啡洒了，真不好意思。(Wǒ bǎ kāfēi sǎ le, zhēn bù hǎoyìsi.) - I spilled my coffee, so embarrassing. * **False Friend: "Incident"**: In English, "incident" can be neutral or even amusing (e.g., "a funny incident"). **事故 (shìgù)** is **never** positive or amusing. It is strictly for negative, unfortunate events. For a funny or interesting event, you would use words like `趣事 (qùshì)` or `插曲 (chāqǔ)`. * **Incorrect:** 我们旅途中发生了很多有趣的**事故**。(Wǒmen lǚtú zhōng fāshēngle hěn duō yǒuqù de shìgù.) * **Correct:** 我们旅途中发生了很多**趣事**。(Wǒmen lǚtú zhōng fāshēngle hěn duō qùshì.) - We had many interesting/funny things happen on our trip. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[意外]] (yìwài) - Unexpected; an accident. `意外` is broader than `事故`. It can refer to any unexpected event, even a pleasant surprise ("an unexpected gift"). When referring to accidents, `意外` often emphasizes the "unforeseen" nature, while `事故` emphasizes the "mishap/failure" aspect. * [[事件]] (shìjiàn) - Event; incident. This is a neutral term for any significant event, like a historical event or a news event. A terrorist attack is a `事件`, a car crash is a `事故`. * [[灾难]] (zāinàn) - Disaster; catastrophe. This is much more severe than a `事故`. An earthquake, a major flood, or a tsunami is a `灾难`. * [[故障]] (gùzhàng) - Malfunction; breakdown (of equipment). A `故障` is often the *cause* of a `事故`. For example, a brake `故障` can lead to a traffic `事故`. * [[错误]] (cuòwù) - Mistake; error. Refers to a wrong judgment or action. A human `错误` can cause a `事故`. * [[安全]] (ānquán) - Safety; security. The conceptual opposite of `事故`. The goal of promoting `安全` is to prevent `事故`. * [[责任]] (zérèn) - Responsibility; liability. This is a key concept discussed in the aftermath of a `事故` to determine fault. * [[伤害]] (shānghài) - Injury; harm. A common consequence of a `事故`.