also: もん
この箱の中に何か物が入っている。
There is something inside this box.
重い物を持つときは腰に気をつけて。
Be careful of your back when lifting heavy things.
one's things; possessions; belongings
Used in the pattern 〜のもの to mean someone's property or belongings.
これは私の物です。
This is mine.
人の物を勝手に使わないでください。
Please don't use other people's things without permission.
things; something; anything; everything; nothing
Used with modifiers to refer to things in a general or abstract way; often corresponds to 'something', 'anything', etc. depending on context.
食べる物が何もない。
There is nothing to eat.
新しい物を覚えるのは楽しい。
Learning new things is fun.
Used in expressions like 物がいい or 物が違う to refer to the quality or caliber of something.
この店の品は物がいい。
The goods in this shop are of good quality.
彼は経験が違うから、やっぱり物が違う。
He has different experience, so he's really on another level.
reason; the way of things
Used in set phrases like 物は相談 or 物が分かる to refer to reason, logic, or the natural order of things.
物は相談だけど、少し手伝ってもらえないかな。
I have a favor to ask—could you help me a bit?
彼は若いけど、よく物が分かっている。
He's young, but he really understands how things work.
formal noun for emphasis, tendency, or obligation
A formal noun used in the pattern 〜ものだ to express emotion, general tendencies, past habits, or what should be done. Usually written in kana.
時間が経つのは早いものだ。
Time passes so quickly.
子供の頃はよくこの川で遊んだものだ。
I used to play in this river a lot when I was a child.
約束は守るものだ。
One should keep one's promises.
item classified as ...; item related to ...; work in the genre of ...
Suffix attached to nouns to indicate a category, genre, or type of item. Usually written in kana.
この店には季節物の商品が並んでいる。
This shop has seasonal items on display.
最近、恋愛物のドラマをよく見る。
Lately I often watch romance dramas.
cause of ...; cause for ...
Suffix indicating the cause or reason for something, often used in words like 心配物 or 笑い物.
彼の失敗はみんなの笑い物になった。
His mistake became a laughingstock for everyone.
そんな小さなことで心配物になるな。
Don't become a worrywart over such a small thing.
somehow; somewhat; for some reason
Only with reading もの
Prefix attached to adjectives to add a sense of 'somehow' or 'vaguely'. Restricted to reading もの. Usually written in kana.
See also: 物寂しい (ものさびしい)
物寂しい気持ちになる。
I feel somewhat lonely.
物珍しいものを見つけた。
I found something rather unusual.
Only with reading もの
Prefix attached to adjectives to intensify the meaning. Restricted to reading もの. Usually written in kana.
See also: 物珍しい (ものめずらしい)
物珍しい体験だった。
It was a truly novel experience.
物凄い速さで走る。
It runs at a really incredible speed.
Children do tend to play outside a lot.
His paintings have finally started to amount to something.
This suit is well made, so it will last a long time.
He's a sensible person, so let's talk to him about it.
In this job, experience is what really counts.
This land finally became his property.
品物 specifically means goods or merchandise, whereas 物 is a much broader word covering any physical thing.
物 is the broadest word for 'thing', covering both concrete and abstract things, while 物体 specifically denotes a tangible, physical object, often in scientific contexts.
物 is the plain, general word for a thing, while 代物 usually singles out an item as notably good, bad, or strange.
物 is the plain, everyday word for a thing, while 物件 sounds formal and is used mainly in legal, administrative, or real-estate contexts.
物 refers to a concrete physical object, while 物事 covers both physical things and abstract events or affairs.
物 and 者 are both pronounced もの, but 物 means 'thing' (an object) while 者 means 'person'.
物 (ぶつ) is a specialized noun for stock/goods or, in slang, stolen loot, whereas the same kanji read 物 (もの) is the everyday word for 'thing' in general.
物 (もの) refers to things or objects, while 者 (しゃ) refers to people, so they must not be swapped despite both being read もの in casual speech.
story; tale; narrative
building; structure
genuine article; real thing; real deal
raw food; perishables
food
Kana spelling is strongly preferred for the formal noun, suffix, and prefix uses.
Colloquial spoken variant of もの, common in casual speech.
drink; beverage
things; matters; affairs
present; gift
fake; counterfeit; forgery; imitation
big shot; heavyweight; important person · big one; big catch; valuable thing
small items; accessories; small articles · minor character; small fry; weak one
kimono; Japanese traditional clothing · clothing; clothes
fruit
treasure; prized possession
demon; monster; evil spirit
vehicle; means of transport · ride; attraction
prey; catch; game · spoils; loot; trophy
food; foodstuff · prey; victim
edged tool; cutting instrument; knife
monster; goblin; ghost; apparition
different thing; another thing; exception
lost article; thing left behind · leaving something behind; forgetting something
unsatisfied; unsatisfactory; lacking something
imitation; impersonation; mimicry
futures; futures contract
cheap item; low-quality goods
pickled vegetables; tsukemono