The compound word **懂事** is formed by combining the character **懂** (dǒng), meaning "to understand" or "to comprehend," with the character **事** (shì), meaning "matters," "affairs," or "things." Literally, it translates as "understand matters," but its actual meaning is figurative, describing a person (often a child) who is sensible, thoughtful, and perceptive of social and familial expectations—someone who not only grasps how things work but also acts with appropriate maturity and consideration for others. Thus, the formation is a semantic compound where the combined meaning of the two characters creates a new, nuanced concept beyond their individual definitions.