1A tangible thing or object — an item, article, or physical substance.
彼は古い物を集めるのが趣味だ。
He collects old things as a hobby.
机の上に不思議な物が置いてあった。
There was a strange object placed on the desk.
これは壊れやすい物だから、気をつけて運んでください。
This is fragile, so please carry it carefully.
2One's things, possessions, or belongings (often as 〜のもの: belonging to ~).
これは私の物です。勝手に触らないでください。
This is mine. Please don't touch it without asking.
旅行の前に、忘れ物がないか自分の物を確認した。
Before the trip, I checked my belongings to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything.
その本は彼の物ではなく、図書館の物だった。
That book wasn't his; it belonged to the library.
3A general, non-specific reference to things — something, anything, everything, or (with negation) nothing.
何か良い物はないかな。プレゼントに使いたいんだ。
Is there anything good? I want to use it as a present.
世の中には不思議な物がたくさんある。
There are many mysterious things in the world.
物は考え方次第で、見方を変えれば役に立つこともある。
It's all about how you look at things — change your perspective, and something can turn out to be useful.
4Quality or caliber — used to indicate the worth, talent, or level of something or someone.
彼の演奏は格が違う。やはり物があるね。
His playing is in a different class. He really has the goods.
この時計は安物とは違って、物がいい。
This watch, unlike cheap ones, is of good quality.
5The way of things; the natural course of events (often in constructions like 〜ものだ to mean "that's just how it is").
人生は思い通りにならないものだ。
Life doesn't always go the way you want — that's just how it is.
人は年を取れば、考え方も変わるものだ。
As people age, their way of thinking naturally changes.
6Used at the end of a sentence to emphasize feelings or judgments, or to indicate a past habit or general tendency (usually written in kana, in patterns like 〜ものだ / 〜ものではない).
子どものころはよく近所で遊んだものだ。
I used to play around the neighborhood a lot when I was a kid.
そんな乱暴な言い方をするものではない。
You shouldn't speak so harshly.
努力すれば道は開けるものだ。
If you make an effort, opportunities really do open up.
7As a suffix, meaning an item classified as a particular kind, or a work in a certain genre (e.g., 学園もの = works about school life).
学園もののアニメは若者に人気がある。
School-life anime are popular with young people.
最近は時代劇ものの映画がまた注目されている。
Recently, period-drama films are getting attention again.
8As a suffix meaning "a cause of ..." — forms words like 困り物 (a nuisance) that name something troublesome (somewhat colloquial).
この古い机は場所を取るばかりで、今ではすっかり困り物だ。
This old desk just takes up space; it's become quite a nuisance by now.
9Used as a prefix to mean "somehow" or "somewhat" (e.g., もの寂しい = somewhat lonely, in a vague way).
秋の夕方は、何となくもの寂しい気分になる。
On autumn evenings I somehow feel a bit lonely.
10Used as a prefix to add emphasis, meaning "really/truly" or "strangely/curiously" (e.g., 物珍しい = truly unusual).
初めて見る機械に、みんな物珍しそうに集まってきた。
Everyone gathered around the machine they were seeing for the first time, looking curious.