material

/məˈtɪəriəl/ (bre, ipa) · /məˈtɪriəl/ (ame, ipa) · /mə-ˈtir-ē-əl/ (ame, mw) · /məˈtɪə.ri.əl/ (bre, ipa) · /məˈtɪr.i.əl/ (ame, ipa)

material — 名詞

  • materialsingular
  • materialsplural

1. A physical substance from which objects can be made, such as wood, metal, plasti

1.名詞A2
釋義

材料；原料

可用來製造物品的物質

A physical substance from which objects can be made, such as wood, metal, plastic, or stone.

例句

Wood is a common material used for building houses and furniture.

木材是一種常用來建造房屋和家具的材料。

countable: a material / materials

The factory needs to order more raw materials before production can begin.

工廠在開始生產前需要訂購更多原料。

common collocation: raw materials

同義詞
  • substance

    broader; can refer to any matter without implying it is used for making things

  • matter

    more scientific; refers to what things are made of at a physical or chemical level

  • stuff

    informal; a vague term for any substance or collection of things

文法句型

material (for [purpose])

[adjective] material

用法筆記

This sense can be used as both countable and uncountable: 'a material' refers to one specific type, while 'some material' refers to an amount without specifying type.

常見錯誤

❌I need a material to build a shelf' (when the type is not important).
✅I need some material to build a shelf
💡when the specific type is irrelevant, use the uncountable form.

2. Facts, observations, and ideas that people gather and shape into a completed wor

2.名詞B1
釋義

素材；資料

用於創作、研究或表演的資訊內容

Facts, observations, and ideas that people gather and shape into a completed work — for instance, a book, a research report, a speech, or a stage show.

例句

Hari spent weeks collecting material for his research paper on ocean pollution.

Hari 花了數週收集撰寫海洋汙染研究報告的素材。

uncountable: material for [purpose]

The comedian used everyday life as material for his stand-up show.

這位喜劇演員把日常生活當作脫口秀表演的素材。

pattern: [source] as material for [output]

同義詞
  • data

    more technical; refers specifically to facts and statistics rather than ideas

  • content

    broader; can include images, videos, and other media forms

  • source

    focuses on the origin of the information rather than the information itself

文法句型

material on [topic]

material for [purpose]

source material

reference material

用法筆記

In this sense, 'material' is always uncountable — do not say 'materials' when referring to information or content. The plural form is only possible when referring to multiple collections of source data from different domains.

常見錯誤

❌I need to find materials for my presentation.
✅I need to find material for my presentation.
💡in this sense, 'material' is uncountable even when referring to multiple pieces of information.

3. Woven or knitted textile fibres, including cotton, silk, and wool, that people s

3.名詞B1
釋義

布料

用來製作衣物等的紡織品

Woven or knitted textile fibres, including cotton, silk, and wool, that people sew into garments, window coverings, and other household items.

例句

Valentina bought two metres of cotton material to make a summer dress.

Valentina 買了兩公尺的棉布來做一件夏天洋裝。

uncountable amount: [measurement] of material

This material feels soft against the skin, perfect for baby clothes.

這種布料摸起來很柔軟，很適合做嬰兒衣服。

同義詞
  • fabric

    more formal or technical; preferred in fashion and textile industries

  • cloth

    more common for smaller pieces; a cloth can be a finished piece like a dishcloth

  • textile

    industry term; refers to any woven material, often in manufacturing contexts

文法句型

[amount] of material

[adjective] material

用法筆記

'Material' and 'fabric' can often be used interchangeably in this sense. 'Cloth' is more common when referring to smaller pieces or specific types by name (e.g., 'a cotton cloth' rather than 'a cotton material').

常見錯誤

❌I bought a material to make a dress.
✅I bought some material to make a dress.
💡when referring to cloth, 'material' is typically uncountable.

4. The tools, equipment, or supplies needed for a specific job, hobby, or education

4.名詞B2
釋義

用品；器材

特定活動所需的工具或物資

The tools, equipment, or supplies needed for a specific job, hobby, or educational activity.

例句

The art teacher asked the students to bring their own drawing materials to class.

美術老師要求學生自備繪畫用品來上課。

often plural: materials for [activity]

The construction site has run out of basic building materials like cement and bricks.

工地的基本建材如水泥和磚塊已經用完了。

collocation: building materials

同義詞
  • supplies

    emphasises consumable items that need regular replacement

  • equipment

    more general; can include large tools and machinery

  • resources

    broader; can include non-physical items like time and personnel

文法句型

materials for [activity]

[subject] materials

用法筆記

In this sense, the plural form 'materials' is very common, even when referring to a group of items for one activity. Unlike sense 2 (INFORMATION), this sense freely takes the plural.

常見錯誤

❌I forgot my painting material at home.
✅I forgot my painting materials at home.
💡for equipment and supplies, the plural form is standard.

5. A person who has the right qualities, skills, or experience for a particular job

5.名詞B2
釋義

人選；人才

適合某角色或機會的人

A person who has the right qualities, skills, or experience for a particular job, position, or activity — for example, someone described as 'managerial material' or 'college material'.

例句

Tunde showed early talent and was clearly officer material in the army.

Tunde 很早就展現天賦，在軍中顯然是軍官人才。

pattern: [role] material — describes natural suitability

With her determination and quick thinking, Kemi is excellent management material.

憑藉她的決心和機敏，Kemi 是非常優秀的管理人才。

同義詞
  • candidate

    more formal; refers to someone being considered, not necessarily naturally suited

  • timber

    British English; similar idiom 'management timber' but less common

文法句型

[role] material

material for [role]

用法筆記

This sense follows a fixed idiomatic pattern: a noun that names the role or opportunity comes before 'material' (e.g., 'management material', 'college material'). It rarely appears in other grammatical arrangements.

常見錯誤

❌He is a material for manager.
✅He is manager material.
💡the idiomatic pattern uses '[role] material' without articles.

material — 形容詞