物

Originally complex and debated:

Composed of 牛 (ox, cow) – semantic element, relating to cattle;

勿 (not / phonetic) – phonetic element, but its ancient form differs.

In oracle bone inscriptions:

Sometimes written as 勿 alone, sometimes with 牛 attached.

Early 勿 (so-called 勿A) had a form resembling a reversed 刀 (knife) with dots, distinct from 勿B (the later “negation 勿”).

Over time, these merged in bronze inscriptions and were fully unified in small seal script.

Interpretations:

If 勿A is seen as a knife, then 物 depicts slaughtering cattle, hence “things, objects.”

If 勿A is seen as a plow, then 物 depicts plowing with oxen, hence “stuff, material.”

Early usage:

Often in compounds like 物牛 (“spotted cattle”) or 物地 / 物土 (“to observe the color of the soil/earth”).

This sense of “observe, examine” survives in modern 물색 (物色, to look for, to observe carefully).

Semantic range:

- concrete things, objects

- “all creation, all beings”

- circumstances, conditions (in extended use)

The semantic development shows a shift from a very concrete image (cattle / plowing / slaughter) to the broad philosophical concept of “all things, everything that exists.”

물건 (物件) – object, article

만물 (萬物) – all things, all beings

사물 (事物) – things, affairs

생물 (生物) – living being

물색 (物色) – to look for, to observe