干事
gàn shi · HSK 7
administrator
📋 干 (do/manage) + 事 (affairs) = one who manages affairs
干 means to do or handle; 事 means matters or affairs. Together they name the person who handles the affairs — an administrator or executive secretary. Note: gàn shi uses neutral tone on 事, distinguishing it from gàn shì (to do things).
干 — pictograph of a forked weapon/shield
干 originally depicted a forked wooden weapon or shield used in ancient warfare, giving the early sense of 'to offend' or 'to oppose.' Over time it took on extended meanings like 'to concern' and 'trunk/stem.' In modern simplified Chinese it also absorbed 乾 (dry) and 幹 (to do; trunk), so one character now covers several unrelated words.
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).