物质 (wù zhì) literally combines 物 (wù), meaning 'thing' or 'object', and 质 (zhì), meaning 'substance' or 'quality'. Together, they refer to physical matter—the stuff that occupies space and has mass. In science contexts, it’s the standard term for 'matter', as in physics or chemistry (e.g., solid, liquid, gas). It can also mean 'material' in everyday usage—such as raw materials for manufacturing or tangible resources.

The word is formal and neutral, commonly used in academic, technical, and official discourse. It rarely appears in casual conversation unless discussing science, philosophy, or economics (e.g., material wealth vs. spiritual well-being). Unlike colloquial words like 东西 (dōngxi, 'thing'), 物质 emphasizes objective, physical existence and is often contrasted with 精神 (jīngshén, 'spirit' or 'mind') in philosophical or sociological discussions about materialism versus idealism.