食物（しょくもつ、shokumotsu）
- food

The Japanese word 食物 (しょくもつ, *shokumotsu*) refers to "food" or "provisions". It encompasses anything that humans or animals consume to sustain life and obtain nutrients. It is a broad term that includes all edible items. 食物 can also refer to the ingredients used to create dishes.

⚫︎ 食物は大切です。 Translation: Food is important. ⚫︎ 犬の食物は何ですか？ Translation: What is the dog's food? ⚫︎ 健康的な食物を食べることは重要です。 Translation: Eating healthy food is important.

This word is used in various contexts when discussing anything related to eating or the things we eat. It can be used in general conversations about diet, in discussions about specific ingredients, or when talking about feeding animals. It's a common and versatile word.

The word 食物 is typically written with the kanji 食物. The reading is しょくもつ in hiragana. There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is fixed.

⚫︎ 食べ物 (*tabemono*) - food (more general) ⚫︎ 料理 (*ryōri*) - cuisine, dishes ⚫︎ 食料 (*shokuryō*) - food supply ⚫︎ 食材 (*shokuzai*) - ingredients

⚫︎ There is no direct antonym for 食物. The opposite of needing food would be not needing food, or starvation. Terms like "non-food" are not standard.

今日の晩御飯の食物は何ですか？ ・Translation: What is the food for dinner today? ・Explanation: This sentence asks about the dishes prepared for dinner.

食物アレルギーがありますか？ ・Translation: Do you have any food allergies? ・Explanation: This sentence inquires about potential allergic reactions to certain foods.

The word 食物 is composed of two kanji: 食 (*shoku*) meaning "to eat" or "food", and 物 (*motsu*) meaning "thing" or "object". Therefore, 食物 literally means "eating things" or "food things".