事务所 shìwùsuǒ business office
business office; firm
How to remember 事务所: 事 matter + 务 affairs + 所 place = business office.
Characters
How it is used
- A professional firm/office - 律师事务所 (lǜshī shìwùsuǒ) a law firm, 会计师事务所 (kuàijìshī shìwùsuǒ) an accounting firm.
- A fixed suffix for licensed professional practices; you would not use it for an ordinary company (公司) or a government office.
- 务 has a fourth-tone reading (wù) here; 所 marks it as a 'place of business'.