異物
Meanings
foreign substance; foreign body; contaminant
Used in medical, food-safety, and industrial contexts for unwanted material that does not belong.
A foreign substance was found in the food.
If a foreign body gets into your eye, rinse it out without rubbing.
strange object; unusual item
Refers to an object that is out of place or unexpected, not necessarily harmful.
I found a strange object on the beach.
Archaic literary use for a dead body; not used in modern everyday speech.
In old texts, 異物 can refer to a corpse.
Usage patterns
- 〈物〉に異物が混入するfor a foreign substance to get mixed into something
An incident occurred in which a foreign substance was found mixed into food.
- 異物を取り除くto remove a foreign object
The doctor removed the foreign object stuck in the throat.
- 異物感があるto have a sensation of a foreign object (in the eye, throat, etc.)
I felt like there was something in my eye, so I went to see an eye doctor.
- 〈物〉から異物が見つかるfor a foreign object to be found in something
A foreign object was found in the boxed lunch, and the shop suspended business.