object; natural phenomenon; science of inanimate nature
A somewhat formal or academic term referring to physical objects and natural phenomena, or the study thereof. Not an everyday word; more likely in philosophical or scientific contexts.
Observe changes in natural phenomena.
He devoted his life to the study of inanimate nature.
Compound of 物 (thing, matter) and 象 (phenomenon, shape). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term appears in Meiji-era academic writing as a translation for Western concepts of physical objects and natural phenomena.