事务 (shìwù) is a compound noun meaning 'affairs' or 'administrative matters'—things that need to be handled, especially in an organizational, official, or professional context. The first character 事 (shì) means 'matter', 'event', or 'affair', while 务 (wù) means 'duty', 'task', or 'business'. Together, they emphasize formal, ongoing responsibilities rather than casual or personal tasks. It’s commonly used in office settings, government work, and institutional environments.

This word carries a neutral-to-formal register and rarely appears in casual daily speech about household chores or hobbies. It often appears in phrases like 事务繁忙 (shìwù fánmáng, 'busy with official duties') or 行政事务 (xíngzhèng shìwù, 'administrative affairs'). Unlike the more general 事情 (shìqing), which can mean any 'thing' or 'matter', 事务 implies structure, responsibility, and procedural importance.