<p>「事情」refers to an <em>event</em> or <em>situation</em>. I wouldn't translate it as <em>thing</em>; the only situation where <em>thing</em> is an acceptable translation is something like</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他辦事情去了</p>
<p><em>He went to take care of something</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>But <em>something</em> could have easily been substituted with <em>a situation</em>.</p>
<hr />
<p>I disagree with the other answers here; there are several things that are abstract but  which can be referred to as a「東西」.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>感情是個很奇怪的東西</p>
<p><em>Emotions are a very strange thing</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>You cannot replace this with「感情是個奇怪的<strong>事情</strong>」, which doesn't make sense.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-08T13:08:13.007Z
2019-04-08T13:08:13.007Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
dROOOze
<p>如果你用的thing指的是一件物品，那么thing的意思就是“东西”，如果你用的thing指的是事情，那么thing的意思是“事情”或者“事件”。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-06T12:32:13.523Z
2019-04-06T12:32:13.523Z
Y. zeng
<p>thing has means of "东西” and “事情”， while you point to goods it means "东西”， while you point to matter it means "事情”。 It's used widely in Chinese. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-08T02:22:06.050Z
2019-04-08T02:22:06.050Z
Lynn1686
<p>事情: an abstract noun, means things, or matter, event.<br/>
<ol>
<li>事情进展怎么样了？<br/>How it the thing/matter going?</li>
<li>这件事情你怎么解释？<br/>How do you explain the thing/event?</li>
</ol></p>

<p>东西: a concrete noun, means things, or stuff, goods.<br/>
<ol>
<li>东西太贵了，我们负担不起。<br/>The things/goods are so expensive that we could not afford.</li>
<li>集市上有各种各样的东西。<br/>There are a varieties of things/stuff in the market.</li>
</ol></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-08T12:54:31.193Z
2019-04-08T12:54:31.193Z
xenophōn
<p>I know a few words for "thing“， including 东西 and 事情. I've looked online, and haven't found any other commonly used words, or indication of when to use which. Are they the same? Is one more formal than another? Is there a better, more formal word I should use? Or is the word "thing" just not used a lot in Chinese?</p>

<p>对不起，我的中文不好！这是我最好的翻译。</p>

<p>我知道一些办法说“东西”或者“事情”的意思。我查资料在网上的时候，不会找到了其他字（除了东西和事情以外），也没找到了什么时候应该用”东西“或者”事情“。是一样的吗？一个是比较正式的吗？还是中国人就不常用“事情”或者“东西”的意思？谢谢大家！</p>

<word-choice>
Words for "thing"? Different usages? 办法说“事情“或者”东西“？用的时候是一样的吗？
# Words for "thing"? Different usages? 办法说“事情“或者”东西“？用的时候是一样的吗？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-04-06)

I know a few words for "thing“， including 东西 and 事情. I've looked online, and haven't found any other commonly used words, or indication of when to use which. Are they the same? Is one more formal than another? Is there a better, more formal word I should use? Or is the word "thing" just not used a lot in Chinese?

对不起，我的中文不好！这是我最好的翻译。

我知道一些办法说“东西”或者“事情”的意思。我查资料在网上的时候，不会找到了其他字（除了东西和事情以外），也没找到了什么时候应该用”东西“或者”事情“。是一样的吗？一个是比较正式的吗？还是中国人就不常用“事情”或者“东西”的意思？谢谢大家！

**Tags:** word-choice


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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-04-08. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

「事情」refers to an *event* or *situation*. I wouldn't translate it as *thing*; the only situation where *thing* is an acceptable translation is something like

> 他辦事情去了
>
> *He went to take care of something*

But *something* could have easily been substituted with *a situation*.

---

I disagree with the other answers here; there are several things that are abstract but which can be referred to as a「東西」.

> 感情是個很奇怪的東西
>
> *Emotions are a very strange thing*

You cannot replace this with「感情是個奇怪的**事情**」, which doesn't make sense.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2019-04-06. Score: 1

如果你用的thing指的是一件物品，那么thing的意思就是“东西”，如果你用的thing指的是事情，那么thing的意思是“事情”或者“事件”。


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### Answer by username_3 on 2019-04-08. Score: 1

thing has means of "东西” and “事情”， while you point to goods it means "东西”， while you point to matter it means "事情”。 It's used widely in Chinese.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2019-04-08. Score: 0

事情: an abstract noun, means things, or matter, event.

1. 事情进展怎么样了？  
   How it the thing/matter going?
2. 这件事情你怎么解释？  
   How do you explain the thing/event?

东西: a concrete noun, means things, or stuff, goods.

1. 东西太贵了，我们负担不起。  
   The things/goods are so expensive that we could not afford.
2. 集市上有各种各样的东西。  
   There are a varieties of things/stuff in the market.


---

