公事
gōng shì · HSK 7
official
📋 公 = public + 事 = matter/affair; together: public affairs
公 means public or communal (think 公园 public park, 公司 company). 事 means matter, affair, or business. Stack them and you get official or public matters — the business of the state or institution, not personal stuff.
公 — eight 八 + private 厶
Originally an ideograph showing 八 (to divide) over 厶 (private/self), depicting the act of splitting away from selfish interest. The combination came to mean 'public' or 'fair,' the opposite of private. It later extended to senses like 'duke,' 'lord,' and 'grandfather.'
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).