物证
wù zhèng · HSK 7
material evidence
🔍🧤 物 (object/thing) + 证 (proof/certificate) = object-proof = material evidence
物 is the same 物 as in 动物 (animal) and 礼物 (gift): a physical thing. 证 is the proof in 证明 (to prove) and 身份证 (ID card). Together: proof that is a physical object — material evidence.
证 — speech radical 讠 + 正 (correct/upright)
证 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The speech radical 讠 (言) signals it relates to words or testimony, while 正 (zhèng, 'upright/correct') gives the sound and hints at 'verifying truth.' Originally written 證, it meant to testify or prove; today it means evidence, certificate, or to prove.