Chinese Word
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noun HSK 5
wǎng shì
past events · things of the past · bygone matters

Meaning

往事 refers to events, experiences, or matters from the past, often carrying a nostalgic or reflective tone. The word combines 往 (past, gone) with 事 (matter, affair) to literally mean 'gone matters.' It's commonly used when reminiscing about memories or discussing historical events.

Usage

往事 typically appears in reflective or literary contexts when people look back on their lives or history. It often carries emotional weight, whether fond nostalgia or bittersweet memories. Common in phrases like 往事如烟 (past events like smoke—ephemeral memories) and 回忆往事 (to recall past events).

Examples

  1. 01
    每次看到老照片，我都会想起许多童年的往事。
    Měi cì kàn dào lǎo zhào piàn, wǒ dōu huì xiǎng qǐ xǔ duō tóng nián de wǎng shì.
    Every time I see old photos, I recall many childhood memories.
  2. 02
    往事已经过去了，我们应该向前看。
    Wǎng shì yǐ jīng guò qù le, wǒ men yīng gāi xiàng qián kàn.
    Past events have already gone by; we should look forward.

Characters

Measure words

  • 件jiàn一件往事
  • 桩zhuāng一桩往事

Common collocations

  • 回忆往事
    huí yì wǎng shì
    to recall past events
  • 往事如烟
    wǎng shì rú yān
    past events like smoke (ephemeral memories)
  • 往事不堪回首
    wǎng shì bù kān huí shǒu
    past events too painful to recall
  • 童年往事
    tóng nián wǎng shì
    childhood memories

Antonyms

Origin

The character 往 originally meant 'to go' or 'toward,' and came to mean 'past' or 'previous.' Combined with 事 (events/matters), it naturally evolved to mean 'events that have gone by.'

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