‘启事’ is a formal noun meaning ‘public notice’ or ‘announcement’—a written statement intended for wide public viewing, typically posted in visible locations or published in media. The character 启 (qǐ) means ‘to initiate,’ ‘to open,’ or ‘to make known,’ while 事 (shì) means ‘matter’ or ‘affair.’ Together, they convey the idea of ‘making a matter known to the public.’

This term is commonly used in official, institutional, or commercial contexts: job postings, lost-and-found notices, property rentals, school announcements, or government advisories. It carries a neutral-to-formal register and appears almost exclusively in written form—not in casual speech. Unlike colloquial terms like 告示 (gàoshì) or 通知 (tōngzhī), 启事 emphasizes public dissemination and often implies an invitation for response (e.g., applying for a job or returning a lost item).