此事
cǐshì · HSK 6
This matter
此 = this + 事 = matter/affair
此 (cǐ) means this/these; 事 (shì) means matter, affair, or business. Together 此事 literally reads as this + matter, used to refer back to a specific issue or situation under discussion.
此 — foot 止 + spoon/person 匕
此 originally depicted a person (匕) standing with a foot (止), suggesting 'to stop here' or 'this place.' Over time the meaning generalized from a specific location to the demonstrative pronoun 'this.' The foot component still hints at the original sense of standing in a particular spot.
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).