遗物 (yí wù) — relics (archaeological or historical); belongin…

Definition

A personal belonging left behind by someone who has died. 遗体 is the physical body itself; 遗产 is what is inherited (money, property).

noun

relics (archaeological or historical)belongings left by the deceased

Measure word · 件

遗物。
Bó wù guǎn lǐ chén liè zhe xǔ duō gǔ dài yí wù.
The museum displays many ancient relics.
遗物。
Tā zhěng lǐ fù qīn de yí wù shí fā xiàn le yì fēng jiù xìn.
While sorting through his father's belongings, he found an old letter.
遗物。
Zhè xiē yí wù duì yán jiū nà ge cháo dài de lì shǐ hěn yǒu jià zhí.
These relics are very valuable for studying the history of that dynasty.

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.

遗yíleft behind

遗物 uses 遗 (left behind) with 物 (thing) to mean relics or belongings left after death.

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 遺; 遗 is its simplified writing.

辶貴遺

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòmove

Sound part声符shēngfú

貴

貴guì遺yí

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 遺 pairs 辶 (move) with 貴 as a sound part; the simplified 遗 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the old sound part.

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

Same sound today

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

Appears in