KanjiSchool
物
“thing / object” in Japanese is 物, read butsu, motsu, mono (ぶつ, もつ, もの). It is a Grade 3 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 3 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 動物 (animal).
Try it now
What does 物 mean?
Learn all 1,018 kanji with spaced-repetition review — free. Start free →
買い物に行く。
かいものにいく。I go shopping.
Get unlimited AI example sentences + native audio + saved progress. Start free →
Unlock guided stroke order, scoring and daily streaks. Start free →
Full details, readings & example
| Kanji | 物 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | thing / object |
| Readings | ぶつ, もつ, もの |
| Grade | Grade 3 (Medium) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
| Example | 動物 (animal) |
How to read 物
物 is read butsu (ぶつ) or motsu (もつ) or mono (もの) depending on the word.
Words with 物
Learn 物 in real sentences — free
Read stories and news built from only the kanji you already know. KanjiSchool’s path covers all 2,136 Jōyō kanji — 1,018 ready to learn now.
Start free — no credit card →
Kanji read the same way as 物
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:
Read this character in a real sentence
Updated: 2026-08-28