Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

material

Chinese: 材料、木材;也指人才、资质。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “cai” becomes a different word in each tone. 材 is the 2nd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 教材jiào cáiteaching material
  • 材料cái liào(raw) material; data; (fig.) person who has the potential to do the job
  • 身材shēn cáistature; build (height and weight); figure
  • 题材tí cáisubject matter
  • 器材qì cáiequipment; material

Example Sentence

盖房子需要很多建筑材料。Gài fáng zi xū yào hěn duō jiàn zhù cái liào.Building a house requires a lot of construction materials.

盖房Gài fángto build a housezison需要xū yàoto needhěnveryduōmany建筑jiàn zhùto construct材料cái liào(raw) material