货物

• Pinyin: huò wù
• Hanzi breakdown: 货 = 化 + 贝 (transform/exchange + cowrie shell/valuables, goods for exchange); 物 = 牛 + 勿 (ox + prohibition, originally livestock as property, extended to all tangible things/objects)

Meaning

Goods; merchandise; cargo. The physical items that are bought, sold, or transported in trade and commerce.

货物 is a broad and formal term for any tangible goods involved in commercial transactions or transportation. Common compounds: 货物运输 (goods transport), 危险货物 (hazardous goods), 进出口货物 (import/export goods), 货物清单 (cargo manifest/inventory list), 货物检验 (goods inspection). In customs and logistics contexts, 货物 is the standard official term. It is more formal than 东西 or 商品.

Examples

1. 海关人员对抵港船只上的全部货物进行了逐一清查与核验，发现其中一批申报价值严重低报的进口货物，遂依法对相关人员展开立案调查。 Customs officers inspected and verified every shipment on the arriving vessel one by one and discovered a batch of imported goods whose declared value was seriously understated, so they opened a case and began an investigation in accordance with the law.
2. 此次洪灾导致多条运输干线中断，大量货物积压在仓库和港口无法及时转运，对整个供应链的正常运转造成了严重冲击。 This flood cut off multiple major transport routes, leaving large amounts of goods stuck in warehouses and ports and unable to be shipped onward in time, severely disrupting the normal operation of the entire supply chain.
3. 为确保易腐货物在长途运输过程中保持适宜的储存温度，物流公司专门配备了符合国际标准的全程冷链运输体系。 To keep perishable goods at the right storage temperature during long-distance transport, the logistics company specifically equipped a full cold-chain system that meets international standards.

Usage Guide

Context: trade, customs, logistics, commerce, shipping

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 国际贸易中，出口商发货前必须按合同准备货物，并提交准确清单，以便顺利清关和按时交付。(In international trade, exporters must prepare the goods according to the contract before shipment and submit an accurate list so customs clearance goes smoothly and delivery is on time.)
• 全球供应链日益精细，企业借助射频识别和区块链追踪货物全生命周期。(As global supply chains become more refined, businesses use RFID and blockchain to track the full lifecycle of goods.)

Don't Say

• 货物 for intangible products or services — use 产品 for products broadly or 服务 for services; 货物 specifically refers to physical, tangible goods that can be transported or stored

Origin & History

货 (goods/merchandise) + 物 (things/objects) — both characters refer to physical items of value; the compound is a reinforcing combination emphasising the tangible, tradeable nature of the items

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal