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典物 (tenbutsu) Japanese meaning: pawned article | Kotomora

典てん物ぶつ

Meanings

1

pawned article; pledge

Refers to an item left with a pawnbroker as collateral for a loan. Common in legal or historical contexts.

彼かれは時計とけいを典てん物ぶつとして質しち屋やに預あずけた。
He left his watch at the pawnshop as a pawned article.

Kanji

典code, ceremony, law
物thing, object, matter

Related words

質しち草ぐさ
質草 is a more common, everyday term for a pawned item, while 典物 is more formal and often used in legal or historical contexts.

Etymology

Compound of 典 (pawn, pledge) and 物 (thing, object). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning of a pawned article.