Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

thing; object; matter

Chinese: 东西、事物。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “wu” becomes a different word in each tone. 物 is the 4th tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 动物dòng wùanimal
  • 礼物lǐ wùgift; present
  • 食物shí wùfood
  • 动物园dòng wù yuánzoo
  • 药物yào wùmedicaments; pharmaceuticals; medication; medicine

Example Sentence

商店里的货物很多。Shāng diàn lǐ de huò wù hěn duō.There are many goods in the store.

商店Shāng diànstoreinsidedeof货物huò wùgoodshěnveryduōmany

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

The ox radical 牛 (cattle, a household's main wealth) plus 勿 (sound): things, goods — ‘thing, matter, object; the material world; content’ (东西, 物品, 动物).

A way to remember it

Cattle (牛) stood for wealth — hence ‘things, objects’.