事
こと · koto · JLPT N4 · noun
thing
koto: the abstract thing, a matter or fact; mono is the thing you can touch
Japanese splits thing in two: 物 (mono) is a physical object, 事 (koto) is an intangible one: an event, a matter, a fact. Koto also turns verbs into nouns: 読むこと = the act of reading. Sound hook: a koto (the harp) is an object, yet 事 never is.
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).