公务
gōng wù · HSK 7
official business
📋 公务 = public/official (公) + affairs/task (务)
公 means public or official (think 公司 company, 公园 park). 务 means affair, task, or duty (as in 任务 task, 服务 service). Together: official duties or government business.
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.'