事务
shìwù · HSK 7
affair
📋 事 (matter) + 务 (duty/task) = matters-and-duties, i.e. business affairs
Both characters mean a thing-to-be-handled: 事 is a matter or affair, 务 is a duty or task. Stacked together they name the routine business and affairs that must be dealt with. Note shìwù, two falling fourth tones in a row.
事 — hand 又 holding a banner/tablet on a pole
Originally a pictograph of a hand (又) grasping a pole or ceremonial banner used by an official, depicting the act of conducting court business. From this it came to mean 'affair, matter, business, service.' It shares an ancient origin with 史 (scribe) and 吏 (official).