The word 碍事 (àishì) is a compound formed by combining the character 碍 (ài), meaning "to hinder" or "to obstruct," with the character 事 (shì), meaning "matter," "affair," or "business." Structurally, it follows a common verb-object pattern where the first character acts upon the second, creating the literal sense of "to hinder a matter." Over time, this literal meaning has broadened into a commonly used adjective meaning "in the way," "a nuisance," or "causing inconvenience," describing anything—physical or abstract—that obstructs progress or complicates a situation.