Today’s phrase
Word Breakdown 当 (dāng) v. treat
回 *(huí) measure word for
事事 *(shì) n. thing Quick Answer
Definition & Usage
“当” in this colloquial phrase means to treat, to take something as something, the same meaning as in the word 当作.
当回事 is mostly used in colloquial Chinese. It means to take something seriously or to hold something in high regard. It is usually used in a 把 sentence with the negative 不, the pattern is “把…当回事”. When negating an action in the past, we can say “没当回事”, or “没把…当回事”, which means “didn’t take it seriously.
“You can add the er-Ending Retroflexion(儿) after this phrase, to make it sound more casual.
Grammar point: 回
What’s the difference between 回事 and 件事?
Both 回 and 件 is the measure word for 事, but they indicate different meanings in their collocations.
件 is the most commonly used measure word for 事, such as 一件事， and 几件事, there is not much to talk about it. But there are only a few phrases made up from 回事:
怎么(一)回事: what the matter with …, why …, what is the reason for …, what happened…
这回事: The matter you just mentioned (E.g 没这回事。There was no such thing.)
一回事: The same. (E.g. A和B是一回事。A and B are the same (matter).)
两回事：Different things.(E.G. 节俭和吝啬是两回事。Frugality and miserliness are two different things.)In the above situations, “件” cannot be used.
Example Sentences
他从来不把 老板的话当回事。
Tā cónglái bù bǎ lǎobǎn de huà dāng huíshì.
He never takes what his boss says seriously.
你这个人总是太把 自己当回事了。
Nǐ zhè ge rén zǒngshì tài bǎ zìjǐ dāng huíshì le.
You always hold yourself in high regard too much.
孩子一开始只是发烧，她没当回事儿。谁知道后来孩子就聋了.
Háizi yī kāishǐ zhǐshì fāshāo, tā méi dāng huí shì r. Shéi zhīdào hòulái háizi jiù lóng le.
The child just had a fever in the first place, she didn’t take it seriously. Who knew that that kid would become deaf later on?