何物

héwù

phrase #20,845

Meanings

1 what thing
2 what
3 what on earth

Characters

what / why / how (classical interrogative)

thing / object / matter

Examples

此乃何物？

Cǐ nǎi héwù?

What on earth is this?

他不知道那是何物。

Tā bùzhī dào nà shì héwù.

He did not know what that thing was.

Tips

register

何物 is a classical/literary interrogative meaning 'what thing.' In modern spoken Chinese, 什么东西 is used instead. 何物 still appears in formal writing, classical texts, and deliberate literary style.

Stroke Order

何 hé

物 wù