materials
materials — 名詞
1. the things, such as wood, metal, or plastic, that you use to build or make somet
材料；原料
製造或建造物品所用的物質
the things, such as wood, metal, or plastic, that you use to build or make something
Aarav chose strong materials so the treehouse would last for years.
Aarav 挑了堅固的材料，好讓樹屋能用上好幾年。
noun as object of 'choose'
The factory turns raw materials like cotton and wool into warm blankets.
這家工廠把棉花、羊毛之類的原料變成溫暖的毯子。
collocation: raw materials
Builders carried bricks, sand, and other materials up the steep hill.
工人把磚塊、沙子和其他材料搬上陡峭的山坡。
Recycled glass and metal are now common materials in modern furniture.
回收的玻璃和金屬如今是現代家具常見的材料。
Beatriz tested which materials would float before she built the toy boat.
Beatriz 在做玩具船之前，先測試哪些材料會浮起來。
- substances
more scientific; focuses on the matter itself
- components
the separate parts that make up a whole
文法句型
raw materials
building materials
用法筆記
Often follows a describing word naming the purpose or origin, such as 'raw', 'building', or 'recycled'.
常見錯誤
2. the tools, equipment, or supplies that you need in order to do a particular job
用具；器材
做某項工作或活動所需的工具用品
the tools, equipment, or supplies that you need in order to do a particular job or activity
The art teacher laid out paint, brushes, and other materials before class began.
美術老師在上課前擺出顏料、畫筆和其他用具。
materials for an activity
Mizuki packed all the camping materials into the back of the car.
Mizuki 把所有露營器材都裝進車子後座。
Cleaning materials such as gloves and spray are kept under the kitchen sink.
手套、噴霧之類的清潔用具放在廚房水槽下面。
The workshop provides all the materials, so bring only your own ideas.
工作坊會提供所有器材，你只要帶上自己的點子就好。
Caleb forgot the sewing materials and had to borrow thread from a neighbour.
Caleb 忘了帶縫紉用具，只好向鄰居借線。
文法句型
materials for [activity]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is on equipment gathered for a task, not the substance an object is built from.
3. facts, notes, or ideas that someone collects and then shapes into a finished pie
資料；素材
蒐集後整理成作品的資訊或想法
facts, notes, or ideas that someone collects and then shapes into a finished piece of work
Apinya gathered her research materials before she started writing the report.
Apinya 先收集好研究資料，才開始寫報告。
collocation: research materials
The teacher shared reading materials about volcanoes with the whole class.
老師和全班分享了關於火山的閱讀資料。
collocation: reading materials
A good comedian builds new jokes from everyday materials like family stories.
好的喜劇演員會用家庭故事這類日常素材編出新的笑話。
Christopher kept all his interview materials in one neat folder.
Christopher 把所有面試資料都收進同一個整齊的資料夾。
The website offers free study materials for students learning a second language.
這個網站為學習第二外語的學生提供免費的學習資料。
文法句型
reading materials
source materials
用法筆記
Subject is usually information or content being prepared, not physical objects; common with 'reading', 'research', 'study', or 'source'.
4. cloth, woven or knitted from threads, that you use for clothes, curtains, and si
布料；衣料
用織或編做成、可做衣物的布
cloth, woven or knitted from threads, that you use for clothes, curtains, and similar things
Zuri picked a soft blue material to make a summer dress.
Zuri 挑了一塊柔軟的藍色布料來做夏天的洋裝。
describing word + material
The curtains were sewn from a heavy material that blocks the morning sun.
這些窗簾是用厚布料縫成的，能擋住早晨的陽光。
This material feels rough, so it is better for bags than for shirts.
這塊布料摸起來粗粗的，做包包比做襯衫更合適。
Emre folded the leftover materials and stored them for his next project.
Emre 把剩下的布料摺好，留著下次做東西用。
The tailor stretched the silky material across the table before cutting it.
裁縫師把滑順的布料攤在桌上，然後才開始裁剪。
文法句型
a soft material
made of material
用法筆記
Often used in the singular ('a material', 'this material') even though the headword is plural; common in sewing and clothing contexts.
常見錯誤
5. a person who has the right qualities to do or become a particular thing
適合人選
具備某種條件、適合擔當某事的人
a person who has the right qualities to do or become a particular thing
Coaches agreed that young Felipe was true champion material.
教練們都認為年輕的 Felipe 是塊當冠軍的料。
noun + material for a suitable person
The manager said Adina was clearly leadership material after the project.
專案結束後，經理說 Adina 顯然是當領導的人選。
Friends teased Vikram that he was not exactly husband material yet.
朋友們開玩笑說 Vikram 還不太算是當老公的料。
The drama teacher believed the shy boy was real acting material.
戲劇老師認為那個害羞的男孩很有當演員的天分。
Élise proved she was officer material during the long training course.
Élise 在漫長的訓練課程中證明了自己是當軍官的料。
文法句型
[noun] + material
用法筆記
Always uncountable and follows a noun naming the role, as in 'champion material' or 'husband material'; informal and often used to judge potential.
materials — 形容詞
1. made up of things you can touch and measure, rather than thoughts or feelings
物質的
由可觸摸之物構成、非思想感受的
made up of things you can touch and measure, rather than thoughts or feelings
Scientists study the material world by measuring things they can see and touch.
科學家透過量測看得到、摸得到的東西來研究物質世界。
collocation: material world
A rock is a material object, but a dream is not.
石頭是物質的東西，但夢不是。
material object vs. abstract idea
The museum explains how material goods were traded long ago.
博物館解說很久以前物質商品是怎麼交易的。
Sofie argued that the material body and the mind work closely together.
Sofie 主張物質的身體和心靈是緊密相連的。
- spiritual
relating to the soul rather than the body
文法句型
material world
material object
用法筆記
Mostly attributive, as in 'material world' or 'material object'; contrasts with abstract things like ideas or feelings.
2. concerned with money, comfort, and possessions rather than with the mind or the
重物質的
看重金錢享受、不重精神層面的
concerned with money, comfort, and possessions rather than with the mind or the spirit
Nicholas valued kindness far more than material possessions.
Nicholas 看重善良遠勝過物質上的財產。
collocation: material possessions
The monk gave up all material comfort to live a simple life.
那位僧人放棄一切物質享受，過著簡樸的生活。
collocation: material comfort
Many parents warn children against caring only about material things.
許多父母告誡孩子，不要只在乎物質的東西。
Their material wealth grew, yet the family felt less happy each year.
他們的物質財富年年增加，這個家卻一年比一年不快樂。
- worldly
concerned with everyday life and possessions
- materialistic
stronger; suggests caring too much about money and things
- spiritual
concerned with inner life rather than possessions
文法句型
material possessions
material comfort
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense judges a person's values as focused on wealth and comfort, not simply on physical matter.
3. important enough to affect a decision, especially in a court case or formal repo
重大的
足以影響判決或結論的重要程度
important enough to affect a decision, especially in a court case or formal report
The lawyer argued that the missing letter was material to the whole case.
律師主張那封不見的信對整起案件至關重大。
material to + noun
The judge ruled that the new photo was material evidence.
法官裁定那張新照片是重要的證據。
collocation: material evidence
Only facts that are material to the contract were read aloud in court.
只有對合約有重大關係的事實才在法庭上唸出來。
The report left out one material detail about the failed safety test.
這份報告漏掉了一項關於安全測試失敗的重要細節。
- relevant
the everyday word; less weighty than 'material'
- significant
important, but not tied to a formal decision
- irrelevant
having no effect on the decision
文法句型
material to [something]
material evidence
用法筆記
Formal and common in law; often appears as 'material to' something or in fixed phrases like 'material evidence' and 'material fact'.