某事
mǒushì
In Chinese, "something" can be translated in several ways. The default form is 某事 (mǒushì). Wiktionary also lists 某物 (mǒuwù) and 某東西 / 某东西 (mǒudōngxi).
Meaning: unspecified object (pron)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 某事 | mǒushì |
| 某物 | mǒuwù |
| 某東西 / 某东西 | mǒudōngxi |
These terms are used as pronouns to refer to an unspecified object, event or matter.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 某事 (mǒushì) is composed of 某 (certain/some) and 事 (matter/affair/thing), literally meaning "a certain matter". The term 某物 (mǒuwù) is composed of 某 (certain/some) and 物 (object/thing), literally meaning "a certain object".
Which one should you use?
Use 某事 (mǒushì) when referring to an abstract event or matter. Use 某物 (mǒuwù) when referring to a physical, tangible object. For physical objects, 某物 (mǒuwù) is more formal and precise, whereas 某东西 (mǒudōngxi) is more colloquial and common in everyday speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
某物 (mǒuwù) is a formal term used in written or technical contexts to denote an unspecified object.
How do you pronounce it?
mǒushì
Did you know?
- The colloquial word 东西 (dōngxi) literally means 'east-west'. Historically, this referred to the variety of goods sold in the markets of the east and west sides of the city.
- Unlike the English 'something', which is often used in vague questions, Chinese speakers frequently replace 某 with 什么 (shénme) in sentences like 'I want something to eat', using a question word to express an indefinite object.
- The character 某 can be doubled to 某某 (mǒumǒu) when referring to an unnamed person, acting as a placeholder like 'so-and-so' in English.
Examples in context
- 请给我一杯水Please give me a glass of water
- 麻烦你帮我一个忙Could you do me a favor?
- 可以给我一支笔吗?Can you give me a pen, please?
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Zihan are talking in the office.
- 志强 Zhiqiang梓涵，我想和你讨论某事。Zǐhán, wǒ xiǎng hé nǐ tǎolùn mǒu shì.Zihan, I want to discuss something with you.
- 梓涵 Zihan好的，关于什么的？Hǎo de, guānyú shénme de?Okay, about what?
- 志强 Zhiqiang关于我们下周的旅行。Guānyú wǒmen xiàzhōu de lǚxíng.About our trip next week.
- 梓涵 Zihan没问题，我们现在就谈吧。Méi wèntí, wǒmen xiànzài jiù tán ba.No problem, let's talk about it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “something” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
