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往事 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
往事wǎngshìpast eventsHSK 7, v, rank #6670, Hard
往事wǎngshìformer happeningsHSK 7, v, rank #6670, Hard
wǎngshì(wang3shi4) T3
  1. 1past events
  2. 2former happenings
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March 24, 2026
往事wǎngshì(wang3shi4)

往事 (wǎng shì) refers to past events or former happenings that hold significance in one’s life or history. It is often used to evoke nostalgia or reflect on experiences that have shaped a person's identity. This term is commonly encountered in literary contexts and personal narratives.

Frequency#6670DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, discussing 往事 can be a way of honoring one's ancestors and reflecting on personal or familial history, which is important in many traditional festivities and gatherings.

Memory Tip

Think of 往 as 'going towards' and 事 as 'matters' or 'things'. Imagine walking back through a time tunnel (往) filled with significant events (事), allowing you to reminisce about your past.

Meanings of 往事

wǎngshì(wang3shi4)
1past events
2former happenings
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 往事

往事Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#6670Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 往事

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Podcast: 往事

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AI Study Notes for 往事

Quick Contrast

往年 (wǎngnián) - use 往事 for specific past events or memories, while 往年 refers more generally to past years.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 往 as 'going towards' and 事 as 'matters' or 'things'. Imagine walking back through a time tunnel (往) filled with significant events (事), allowing you to reminisce about your past.

Usage Notes

往事 is typically used in a reflective or sentimental context, often in both spoken and written forms. Be cautious not to confuse it with 事情 (shì qíng), which refers to matters or affairs in a more general sense. Also, the phrase is usually used in a formal context when discussing history or personal experiences.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 往事 connects with themes of memory and history, which are prevalent in advanced vocabulary. Students should focus on using it in complex sentences and explore related expressions like 回忆 (huí yì, 'to remember') and 记忆 (jì yì, 'memory').

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, discussing 往事 can be a way of honoring one's ancestors and reflecting on personal or familial history, which is important in many traditional festivities and gatherings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 往事 with 事情 (shì qíng) and use it inappropriately to describe general matters. For instance, saying '我有很多的往事要处理' (I have many past matters to handle) is incorrect; it should be '我有很多事情要处理' (I have many matters to handle).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 往事

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Component Characters

往wǎngto go (in a direction)
HSK 28 strokes彳
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事shìmatter
HSK 18 strokes亅
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Write 往事

往
事

Practice writing 往事 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 往事

往事 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons2
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

看着毕业照，我不由得开始回忆起____。

Looking at the graduation photo, I couldn't help but start reminiscing about the past.

Example Sentences for 往事 (7)

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1
刚烤好面包的香气使我忆起往事!

gāng kǎo hǎo miàn bāo de xiāng qì shǐ wǒ yì qǐ wǎng shì!

That smell of freshly baked bread carries me back!
2
当我回想起来，往事全都涌上了心头。

dāng wǒ huí xiǎng qǐ lái， ， wǎng shì quán dū yǒng shàng le xīn。

When I thought about it, it all came back.
3
我不再去回忆那些痛苦不堪的往事了。

wǒ bù zài qù huí yì nà xiē tòng kǔ bù kān de wǎng shì le。

I shut out the memory which was too painful to dwell on.
4
你回忆往事的方式真好笑。

nǐ huí yì wǎng shì de fāng shì zhēn hǎo xiào。

It's funny how you remember things.
5
他们俩都微笑着看着这幅画，追忆着往事。

tā mén liǎng dū wēi xiào zháo kàn zháo zhè fú huà， ， zhuī yì zháo wǎng。

Both of them smiled at the picture reminiscently.
6
春花秋月何时了,往事知多少?

chūn huā qiū yuè hé shí le, , wǎng shì zhī duō?

Spring flowers The autumn moon An endless string of living memories.
7
这景象唤起了我对青年时代许多往事的追想.

zhè jǐng xiàng huàn qǐ le wǒ duì qīng nián shí dài xǔ duō wǎng shì de zhuī xiǎng.

The scene awakened reminiscence of my youth.

Cultural Notes for 往事

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, discussing 往事 can be a way of honoring one's ancestors and reflecting on personal or familial history, which is important in many traditional festivities and gatherings.

Frequently Asked Questions about 往事

You can say, '我常常回忆起我的往事' (I often recall my past events).