If you look it up in PLECO or any other dictionary, actually it's very easy for you to find these two words:

1. "东西" dōngxi

2. "事（情）"  shì(qing)

And of course in Beijing area, people say "事儿shìr".

Now that you've got these two words, make sure you use them accurately!

We all know that "thing" is a useful word when you don’t know or don’t need or don’t want to refer to something more precisely.

The difference between "东西dōngxi" and "事情shìqing" is，"东西" means physical thing whereas "事情" refers to a nonphysical thing, and can also be translated with the word matter.

For instance:

1⃣️ Something to eat

吃的东西

Chī de dōngxi

2⃣️ I would like to experience something fun here.

我想体验一下这里好玩的事情。

Wǒ xiǎng tǐyàn yíxià zhèli hǎowán de shìqing.

3⃣️ I don't know how to deal with things/matters like this.

我不知道怎么处理这样的事。

Wǒ bù zhīdào zěnme chùlǐ zhèyang de shì.

4⃣️ I need to buy a lot of kitchen things.

我要买很多厨房的东西。

Wǒ yào mǎi hěn duō chúfáng de dōngxi.

5⃣️ I was busy with bank things/matters this afternoon.

我今天下午在忙银行的事情。

Wǒ jīntiān xiàwǔ zài máng yínháng de shìqing.

6⃣️ What's the thing in the middle of your room?

你房间中间是什么东西？

Nǐ fángjiān zhōngjiān shì shénme dōngxi?

7⃣️ It's the work thing, nothing big.

是工作的事，不是大事。

Shì gōngzuò de shì，búshì dàshì.

But there's a special case we don't use "东西" or "事情" for "things". We use "情况 qíngkuàng", yes, the HSK3 word, meaning "situation".

For example:

Things are getting better.

情况在变好/好转。

Qíngkuàng zài biànhǎo / hǎozhuǎn.

That's the way how to say "thing/something" in Chinese.

You got it? Try these two words "东西" / "事情" in the correct way and you will see how easy it now has become to expand your Chinese conversation!

I'll see you next time!

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