实物

• Pinyin: shí wù
• Hanzi breakdown: 实 = 宀 + 贯 (real, concrete); 物 = 牛 + 勿 (thing, object, matter)

Meaning

Physical goods; actual objects; goods in kind. Real, tangible items as opposed to cash, virtual representations, or abstractions.

Commonly used in economic, historical, and museum contexts. In economics: 实物经济 (natural/barter economy), 实物资产 (physical assets), 实物奖励 (in-kind reward as opposed to cash bonus). In museums and exhibitions: 实物展览 (exhibition of actual artefacts), 历史实物 (historical artefacts). Contrasts with 货币 (currency), 复制品 (replica), or 模型 (model).

Examples

1. 此次展览特别从海外博物馆借调了数十件考古实物，让观众得以近距离欣赏真实的历史文物而非复制品。 This exhibition specially borrowed several dozen archaeological artifacts from overseas museums, allowing visitors to appreciate authentic historical relics up close rather than replicas.
2. 公司为优秀员工提供的年终奖励包括现金奖金和实物礼品两种形式，由员工根据个人偏好自行选择。 The company’s year-end rewards for outstanding employees come in two forms—cash bonuses and physical gifts—so employees can choose according to their preferences.
3. 在某些农村地区，税收与租金的缴纳方式至今仍保留着以实物折抵的传统做法，以粮食或农产品充抵货币。 In some rural areas, the traditional practice of paying taxes and rent in kind still remains, using grain or farm products in place of money.

Usage Guide

Context: economics, museums, trade, employment, history

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 海关对跨境电商平台上销售的部分商品展开抽检，核实商品的实物规格与卖家描述是否相符，保护消费者的合法权益。(Customs conducted spot checks on certain goods sold on cross-border e-commerce platforms to verify whether the physical specifications of the goods matched the sellers' descriptions, protecting consumers' legitimate rights and interests.)
• 这批战国时期的青铜器作为珍贵历史实物，不仅具有极高的学术研究价值，同时也是不可再生的民族文化遗产，必须得到妥善保护。(This collection of bronze vessels from the Warring States period, as precious historical artefacts, not only has extremely high academic research value but is also an irreplaceable national cultural heritage that must be properly preserved.)

Don't Say

• 实物 when referring to the physical appearance of a person — use 本人 (in person) or 真人 (the real person); 实物 refers to objects, not people, and using it for a person sounds unnatural or objectifying

Origin & History

实 (real, actual) + 物 (thing, object, matter)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal