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Kotomora

物

thing, object, matter

JLPTN4StatusJōyō · grade 3FrequencyTop 500Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • ブツ
  • モツ

Kun'yomi

  • もの
  • もの-

Meaning

物 centers on a concrete or abstract item: a thing, an object, or matter in the sense of physical substance or a topic of concern.

Most common words using 物

24 of 2,120
  • 物もの
    N5

    thing; object; article; stuff; substance

  • 動物どうぶつ
    N5

    animal

  • 人物じんぶつ
    N3

    person; character; figure; personage; man; woman

  • 物語ものがたり
    N3

    story; tale; narrative; account; fable; legend

  • 建物たてもの
    N5

    building

  • 本物ほんもの
    N4

    genuine article; real thing; real deal

  • 物質ぶっしつ
    N3

    material; substance

  • 生物せいぶつ
    N3

    living thing; organism; creature; life

  • その物そのもの
    N1

    the very thing; itself

  • 植物しょくぶつ
    N3

    plant; vegetation

  • 食べ物たべもの
    N5

    food

  • 荷物にもつ
    N5

    luggage; baggage; package

  • 買い物かいもの
    N5

    shopping; purchased goods

  • 物理ぶつり
    N3

    laws of nature; physical laws

  • 物凄いものすごい
    N3

    terrific; staggering; tremendous; incredible; extreme

  • 博物館はくぶつかん
    N3

    museum

  • 生き物いきもの
    N3

    living thing; living creature; animal; life

  • 飲み物のみもの
    N5

    drink; beverage

  • 薬物やくぶつ

    drug; medicine

  • 物事ものごと
    N3

    things; everything

  • 贈り物おくりもの
    N4

    present; gift

  • 偽物にせもの
    N2

    spurious article; forgery; counterfeit; imitation; sham

  • 貨物かもつ
    N2

    cargo; freight

  • 怪物かいぶつ

    monster

Explore all words using 物 →

Study

Etymology

物 combines 牛 (cow) with 勿, which likely contributed the sound. The original sense may have been a variegated or mixed-colored cow, later extended to mean things or objects in general.

Meaning mnemonic

A cow 牜 beside a shape 勿 that looks like a wrapped bundle: picture a cow carrying a wrapped thing on its back, so 物 means a thing or object.

Reading mnemonic

For ブツ, imagine a cow bumping into a thing with its head: 'bump' sounds like ブツ, and the cow bumps into an object.