财物 (cái wù) — property, belongings | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

财物 refers to one's physical belongings and possessions — typically the focus of crimes, loss, or insurance. Narrower than 财产 (all property/assets, including real estate and intangibles) and 资产 (formal/business assets on a balance sheet).

noun

propertybelongings

Easily confused

财务cái wùsound-alikefinancial affairs; finance

Examples

财物。
Jǐng fāng zhèng zài diào chá bèi dào cái wù de xià luò.
The police are investigating the whereabouts of the stolen property.
财物。
Huǒ zāi zhōng tā shī qù le suǒ yǒu cái wù.
He lost all his belongings in the fire.
财物。
Tā bǎ cái wù dōu zhěng lǐ hǎo le.
He has all the belongings sorted out.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

财物 joins 财 (wealth) and 物 (goods) to name things owned as property or belongings.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 財; 财 is its simplified writing.

貝才財

Meaning part形符xíngfú

貝貝bèishell

Sound part声符shēngfú

才

才cái財cái

Same sound today

The traditional form 財 has 貝 (shell) next to 才, which gives the sound; the simplified 财 is a later shorthand.

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

牛勿物

Meaning part形符xíngfú

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 Miscellaneous Objects Money & Currency

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