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    Chinese Grammar

    The Noun 材料 (cáiliào): Material

    Existence & Possession

    Structure

    Modifier + 材料

    Explanation

    材料 (cáiliào) is a Chinese noun meaning "material" or "ingredient." It can refer to physical substances used in manufacturing, raw ingredients in cooking, or figuratively to reference materials and data used in research or writing.

    Examples

    • 做这道菜需要准备哪些材料？

      Zuò zhè dào cài xūyào zhǔnbèi nǎxiē cáiliào?

      What ingredients do you need to prepare for this dish?

    • 这栋房子用的都是环保材料。

      Zhè dòng fángzi yòng de dōu shì huánbǎo cáiliào.

      This building uses entirely eco-friendly materials.

    • 老师让我们收集写论文的材料。

      Lǎoshī ràng wǒmen shōují xiě lùnwén de cáiliào.

      The teacher asked us to collect materials for writing the paper.

    Often Confused With

    The Noun 材料 (cáiliào): Material | Chinese Grammar