违禁物品 (wéi jìn wù pǐn) — contraband (goods whose possession or import/export is forbidden by law)

Definition

An official/legal term for items whose possession, import, or export is banned by law. The writer-style 物品 emphasizes physical goods, more formal than everyday 违禁品.

noun
contraband (goods whose possession or import/export is forbidden by law)

Examples

  • 违禁物品。
    Hǎi guān zài huò wù zhōng chá huò le yì pī wéi jìn wù pǐn.
    Customs seized a batch of contraband among the goods.
  • 违禁物品。
    Xié dài wéi jìn wù pǐn rù jìng jiāng miàn lín fǎ lǜ chǔ fá.
    Bringing contraband into the country will face legal penalties.
  • 违禁物品。
    Jī chǎng ān jiǎn zhòng diǎn jiǎn chá kě yí wéi jìn wù pǐn.
    Airport security focuses on inspecting suspicious contraband.

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.

违禁prohibited
违wéiviolate禁jìnprohibition
动宾Verb + object
物品goods
物wùthing品pǐnarticle
联合Side by side

违禁物品 combines 违禁 prohibited with 物品 goods to name contraband.

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 違; 违 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi違wéi
Same sound today

The traditional form 違 pairs 辶, which shows walking, with 韋 to give the sound. The simplified 违 is a later shorthand.

Open 违 →

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
示示shìaltar
Sound part声符shēngfú
林
林lín禁jìn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

禁 has 林 above 示, an altar. The 林 part gives the sound, and the altar part connects the character to taboo or restricted matters.

Open 禁 →

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
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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

品 repeats the same simple shape three times, representing various objects.

Open 品 →

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