ZiMaster Dictionary My decks

Word

世故 (shì gù) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 7

世故 (shì gù) is a Chinese word: worldly wisdom. This page shows its pinyin, translation, example sentences, character breakdown, decomposition, and HSK level.

Meaning of 世故

名 míng noun

worldly wisdom

他很有世故，知道如何处理复杂的人际关系。

tā hěn yǒu shì gù zhī dào rú hé chǔ lǐ fù zá de rén jì guān xì

He has great worldly wisdom and knows how to handle complex interpersonal relationships.

Log in to add your own translations

Word breakdown

世 shì — world, worldly, society

Words with this character (11)
  • 1 世界 shì jiè — world HSK 3
    • 世 generation, era; represents the temporal and societal dimension
    • 界 boundary, realm; represents the spatial dimension and domain
    Example

    我想环游世界。

    wǒ xiǎng huán yóu shì jiè

    I want to travel around the world.

  • 2 世纪 shì jì — century HSK 4
    • 世 generation, era, age (the temporal span of human generations)
    • 纪 record, chronicle, period (a systematically recorded unit of time)
    Example

    这座教堂建于十五世纪。

    zhè zuò jiào táng jiàn yú shí wǔ shì jì

    This church was built in the fifteenth century.

  • 3 去世 qù shì — to pass away HSK 5
    • 去 to go, to leave
    • 世 world, lifetime
    Example

    他的爷爷去年去世了。

    tā de yé ye qù nián qù shì le

    His grandfather passed away last year.

  • 4 世人 shì rén — people of the world, common people, mortals HSK 7
    • 世 world, secular world
    • 人 people, persons
    Example

    这位艺术家不在乎世人的看法。

    zhè wèi yì shù jiā bù zài hu shì rén de kàn fǎ

    This artist doesn't care about what people think.

  • 5 世代 shì dài — generation HSK 7
    • 世 generation, age, era
    • 代 generation, successive period
    Example

    他们家世代都是医生。

    tā men jiā shì dài dōu shì yī shēng

    Their family has been doctors for generations.

Show more (+6)

故 gù — affairs, matters, established patterns

Words with this character (8)
  • 1 故事 gù shì — story HSK 3
    • 故 past, former (events)
    • 事 events, matters
    Example

    她给孩子们讲了一个有趣的故事。

    tā gěi hái zi men jiǎng le yí ge yǒu qù de gù shì

    She told the children an interesting story.

  • 2 故意 gù yì — deliberately HSK 4
    • 故 purposefully, with reason
    • 意 intention, volition
    Example

    他故意不告诉我真相。

    tā gù yì bù gào su wǒ zhēn xiàng

    He deliberately didn't tell me the truth.

  • 3 事故 shì gù — accident HSK 5
    • 事 matter, event
    • 故 incident, mishap
    Example

    昨天发生了一起交通事故。

    zuó tiān fā shēng le yì qǐ jiāo tōng shì gù

    A traffic accident occurred yesterday.

  • 4 故乡 gù xiāng — hometown HSK 5
    • 故 former, old, original
    • 乡 village, hometown, native place
    Example

    我很想念我的故乡。

    wǒ hěn xiǎng niàn wǒ de gù xiāng

    I miss my hometown very much.

  • 5 故障 gù zhàng — malfunction HSK 6
    • 故 incident, problem, cause
    • 障 obstruction, barrier, impediment
    Example

    机器发生故障，需要维修。

    jī qì fā shēng gù zhàng xū yào wéi xiū

    The machine has malfunctioned and needs repair.

Show more (+3)
  • 6 变故 biàn gù — unexpected event HSK 7
    • 变 change, transformation
    • 故 incident, event
    Example

    家里发生了变故，他不得不提前回去。

    jiā lǐ fā shēng le biàn gù tā bù dé bù tí qián huí qù

    Something unexpected happened at home, so he had to return early.

  • 7 无故 wú gù — without reason HSK 7
    • 无 without, not have
    • 故 reason, cause
    Example

    公司不能无故解雇员工。

    gōng sī bù néng wú gù jiě gù yuán gōng

    The company cannot dismiss employees without reason.

  • 8 缘故 yuán gù — reason, cause HSK 7
    • 缘 connection, circumstance (the linking factor)
    • 故 reason, cause (the core meaning)
    Example

    他因为生病的缘故没来上课。

    tā yīn wèi shēng bìng de yuán gù méi lái shàng kè

    He didn't come to class because he was sick.

Structure & writing
1 世 shì — a generation (thirty years in ancient usage)
世 is a component in 2 characters
HSK 7
屉 tì drawer or removable tray/shelf in a container 泄 xiè (of liquid or gas) to discharge, to leak out

世 is an atomic character — it does not decompose further.

Stroke order

2 故 gù — reason; cause
故 is a component in 1 characters
HSK 1
做 zuò to make; to manufacture (a physical object)

consists of

2.1 古 gǔ — ancient; of a bygone era, opposite of 'present'
古 is a component in 10 characters
HSK 3
居 jū to reside; to live 故 gù reason; cause
HSK 4
估 gū to estimate, to reckon approximately 姑 gū father's sister; aunt 苦 kǔ bitter (taste, opposite of sweet)
HSK 5
固 gù firm; sturdy 胡 hú ancient general term for northern and western ethnic peoples
HSK 6
枯 kū withered; dried out (of plants)
HSK 7
咕 gu onomatopoeia for the sound of a hen or certain birds clucking/cooing 辜 gū crime; guilt
2.2 攵 pū — light strike/tap radical
攵 is a component in 28 characters
HSK 2
教 jiào to teach; to educate
HSK 3
收 shōu bring in; gather together 放 fàng to release; to set free 故 gù reason; cause 数 shù number; quantity
HSK 4
微 wēi tiny; slight 改 gǎi to revise; to modify 效 xiào effect, function, result 败 bài to lose (a war or competition, opposite of 胜)
HSK 5
政 zhèng politics; affairs of state 敌 dí hostile; antagonistic 敏 mǐn intelligent, quick-witted, agile 救 jiù to help someone out of difficulty, danger, or disaster 敬 jìng to respect, to treat with courtesy
Show more HSK 5 characters (+2)
玫 méi (lit.) a type of beautiful stone or jade 致 zhì to give; to express (courtesy, goodwill, etc.) to someone
HSK 6
撤 chè to remove; to cancel 攻 gōng to attack, assault; opposite of 'defend'
HSK 7
徽 huī emblem; badge; insignia 敛 liǎn (lit.) to draw in; to hold back 敞 chǎng (of buildings, courtyards, etc.) spacious and open; unobstructed 敦 dūn to urge; to encourage 敷 fū to apply (ointment, powder, etc.)
Show more HSK 7 characters (+5)
枚 méi a counter for small objects (similar to 个), one by one 澈 chè clear and transparent (of water) 牧 mù to herd (livestock or poultry) outdoors to graze or roam 肇 zhào (class.) to begin; to start 辙 zhé rut; track left by a wheel

Stroke order