囊中物 (náng zhōng wù) — (noun phrase) a sure thing, a foregone conclusion, something guaranteed to be obtained

Definition

Literally 'thing in the bag': something already secured, like a sure win or a deal in the pocket. Asks the listener to picture a prize that has been bagged — not merely expected.

noun
(noun phrase) a sure thing, a foregone conclusion, something guaranteed to be obtained

Examples

  • 囊中物。
    Zhè chǎng bǐ sài duì tā lái shuō yǐ jīng shì náng zhōng wù.
    This competition is already a sure thing for him.
  • 囊中物。
    Nà ge guàn jūn zǎo jiù shì tā de náng zhōng wù le.
    That championship was already his foregone conclusion.
  • ，囊中物。
    Zài tán pàn zhōng, zhè ge hé tong chéng le duì fāng de náng zhōng wù.
    During the negotiations, this contract became the other party's sure thing.

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.

囊中inside a bag
囊nángbag中zhōnginside
偏正Modifier + head
物wùthing

囊中 (inside a bag) and 物 (thing) give the image of something already secured in one's bag.

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
㯻㯻㯻bag
Sound part声符shēngfú
襄
襄xiāng囊náng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

囊 is made from 㯻, a tied bag with items inside, plus an abbreviated form of 襄 that gives the sound.

Open 囊 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

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 →

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