本物
ほんもの · honmono · JLPT N3 · noun
article
💎 本物 = true/original (本) + thing (物) = the real thing
本 means origin or root, as in 日本 (Japan, the sun's origin). 物 (mono) means thing. So 本物 is a thing that is what it claims to be. Its opposite is 偽物 (nisemono), a fake thing.
本 — tree 木 + mark at base
本 is a pictograph of a tree (木) with a stroke at its base, marking the roots. From this 'root' meaning it extended to 'origin,' 'source,' and 'foundation.' In modern usage it also serves as a measure word for bound objects like books.