Japanese word

物質

Pronunciation

Romajibusshitsu

Meaning

  • nounmaterial, substance

Example

この食品には体に必要な物質が含まれています。ko no shoku hin ni wa karada ni hitsu yō na bus shitsu ga fuku ma re te i ma su

This food contains substances the body needs.

Illustration for 物質 (material)

More examples

砂糖は水に溶ける物質です。sa tō wa mizu ni to ke ru bus shitsu de su

Sugar is a substance that dissolves in water.

この物質は水に溶けません。ko no bus shitsu wa mizu ni to ke ma se n

This substance does not dissolve in water.

Core concept

Refers to the physical stuff that makes up objects and has its own properties.

Common phrases

  • 物質の性質bus shitsu no sei shitsu

    properties of a substance

  • 物質を調べるbus shitsu o shira be ru

    examine a substance

  • 物質の状態bus shitsu no jō tai

    state of matter

Similar words

材料zairyō: A substance used to make a product, structure, or object.
素材sozai: A basic substance that is shaped or processed to make something.

Definition in Japanese

物体を構成し、固体・液体・気体などの状態をとるもの。but tai o kō sei shi ko tai eki tai ki tai na do no jō tai o to ru mo no

Word origin

物質 (busshitsu) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 物 (butsu, "thing") and 質 (shitsu, "quality"), giving the sense of a thing's physical substance.

Usage tips

  • The English word material can mean the substance from which an object is made, but it can also mean information or resources, so context determines the meaning.

Other meanings

  • matternoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 物質的busshitsutekimaterialna-adjective

Word lists with this word