务 meaning and stroke order
Affairs, business; should; must
How to write 务, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 务
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- affair
- business
- matter
- to be engaged in
- to attend to
- by all means
How 务 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 夂 (to go), shared by 10 characters on this site.
How to remember 务
务 is 夂 on top of 力 (lì, strength). Picture someone stepping forward (夂) and putting their strength (力) into a job, and you have 务, a task or piece of business.
务 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It mostly appears in words about work and duties, like 服务 (fúwù, service), 任务 (rènwu, task) and 家务 (jiāwù, housework). Example: 我每天做家务。(Wǒ měitiān zuò jiāwù.) I do housework every day.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 务 (wù) with 条 (tiáo), which also starts with 夂 but has 木 below instead of 力. Also note that 任务 is usually said with a neutral tone, rènwu, while 服务 keeps the full fourth tone, fúwù.
Common words with 务
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 服务 | fúwù | to serve; service | HSK 2 |
| 任务 | rènwu | mission; assignment; task; duty; role | HSK 3 |
| 服务员 | fúwùyuán | waiter; waitress | HSK 3 |
| 公务员 | gōngwùyuán | civil servant; public servant | HSK 3 |
| 义务 | yìwù | duty; obligation (CL:項|项[xiang4]); volunteer (work etc) | HSK 4 |
| 家务 | jiāwù | household duties; housework | HSK 4 |
| 商务 | shāngwù | commercial affairs; commercial | HSK 4 |
| 业务 | yèwù | business; professional work | HSK 5 |
| 职务 | zhíwù | post; position | HSK 5 |
| 事务所 | shìwùsuǒ | business office; firm | HSK 7-9 |
| 债务 | zhàiwù | debt; liability | HSK 7-9 |
| 事务 | shìwù | (political, economic etc) affairs; work | HSK 7-9 |
| 服务器 | fúwùqì | server (computer) | HSK 7-9 |
| 务必 | wùbì | must; to need to | HSK 7-9 |
务 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 务
Learning 务 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 务
How many strokes are in 务?
务 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 务 mean?
务 (wù) means affairs, business; should; must. A common word with it is 服务 (fúwù), meaning "to serve; service".
How do you pronounce 务?
务 is pronounced wù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 务?
The radical of 务 is 夂, which carries the idea of "to go". Dictionaries list 务 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 务?
The traditional form of 务 is 務. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 务 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 务 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 务 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What does 务必 mean?
务必 (wùbì) means "must" or "be sure to". It uses the "by all means" sense of 务 and sounds fairly formal, as in 请务必准时 (qǐng wùbì zhǔnshí), please be sure to be on time.
What is the difference between 服务 and 任务?
服务 (fúwù) means service or to serve others, as in a restaurant or company. 任务 (rènwu) is a specific task or assignment that someone gives you to complete.