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信物 (xìn wù) — token of trust; keepsake or object that authenticates a promise, relationship, or loyalty

Definition

A 信物 is a physical object given to prove a promise, bond, or identity — like a love token, pledge, or credential. Often carries emotional or symbolic weight beyond its material value.

noun
token of trustkeepsake or object that authenticates a promise, relationship, or loyalty
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 信物。
    Zhè duì yù pèi shì tā men de dìng qíng xìn wù.
    This pair of jade pendants is their love token.
  • 信物，。
    Tā ná chū xìn wù, zhèng míng zì jǐ shì jiāng jūn pài lái de.
    He showed the token to prove he was sent by the general.
  • 信物。
    Gǔ rén jiāo huàn xìn wù yǐ shì yǒng bú bèi pàn.
    People in ancient times exchanged tokens to show they would never betray each other.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

信xìntrust
物wùobject

信 gives the sense of trust, and 物 is an object, together giving an object that stands for trust.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánwords
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén信xìn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

信 pairs 人 as the sound part with 言 (words) as the meaning part.

Open 信 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
牛牛niú
Sound part声符shēngfú
勿
勿wù物wù
Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

Open 物 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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