shìgù: 事故 - Accident, Incident, Mishap

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.

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 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.

• 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.

• 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`.