Is 入れ物 different from other A-物 expressions?


While I can understand the meaning of the word, I cannot wrap my head around
the logic behind it.

In all similar cases, the basis of the expression is the object of the action:

  * Aを食べる ⟶ A: 食べ物

  * Aを飲む ⟶ A: 飲み物

But:

  * A **を** 入れる ⟶ n/a

  * A **に** 入れる ⟶ A: 入れ物

I have asked my native Japanese teacher, but she could only explain it by
saying that the container is still _involved_ in the action of putting things
inside it, and is thus labeled by that action. But to me the object of an
action is a quite distinct thing, and the "direction" of it all seems off in
the case of 入れ物.

Could someone explain the logic behind this? Are there other A-物 expressions
that are not based on the object? Or is this just a unique exception?




You may be right that most of the examples of nouns following the V連用形＋物
pattern usually describe the direct object of the verb. But that is far from
always the case.

One noteworthy exception that springs to mind is 生き物 (living thing). This
would notionally refer to the subject of the verb (e.g. the 私 in 私が生きる),
rather than a direct object, which this verb only rarely uses (e.g. 瞬間を生きる
meaning 'to live in the moment').

Slightly separately but possibly helpful to your understanding, I think it is
worth noting here that there are also many words following this pattern that
have very specific interpretations (unlike the examples you gave). For
instance, 吸い物 doesn't refer to anything that uses the verb 吸う (e.g. a
cigarette); rather, only a dish of a clear broth with ingredients/garnish
floating in/on it.​ **EDIT: It seems that I may have had an slightly overly
narrow view of the word 吸い物 myself. Please see comments below.**

吹き出物, meaning a 'pimple' or a 'rash', is a good example of one noun which sits
in the intersection of not being a direct object, and having a specific
meaning. A pimple is not a direct object (taking を) of the verb, as the verb
吹き出る (meaning gush out, spout, break out) is intransitive. Similarly, 吹き出物
doesn't correspond to anything that is gushing out e.g. 水が吹き出る.

So, it's not worth, in my opinion, trying to find a strict rule here regarding
it being a direct object of the verb, as opposed to some other part of speech.
It's rather just that the verb plays some role in the thing involved, and the
expression may convey a broad meaning (like 食べ物 or 飲み物) or a more specific one
(like 吸い物).

