貢物

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 貢物(みつぎもの) is a noun related to 貢ぐ(みつぐ), to offer tribute, and the idea of an object.
• Basic usage: The examples concern goods presented to a king or collected from different regions as tribute.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Compared with ordinary 贈り物
  • 贈り物(おくりもの) covers gifts generally. 貢物 brings out a relationship of offering goods to an authority, unlike an ordinary everyday present.
• Types versus quantities
  • 貢物の品目 refers to types of tribute or entries in an inventory. The phrase alone does not give the number of individual objects.