出事
chū shì · HSK 6
to have an accident
🚨 出 (go out) + 事 (matter/affair) = an incident goes out
出事 literally combines 出 'to go out, occur' with 事 'matter, affair, incident'. When a 事 (incident) 出 (comes out), something has gone wrong — an accident or mishap has occurred.
出 — foot 止 emerging from enclosure 凵
出 is a pictograph showing a foot or plant stepping out of a hollow or enclosure, depicting the act of going forth. The original sense of 'coming out' or 'emerging' has remained stable since oracle bone script. It now broadly means 'to exit, go out, or produce.'
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).