材(cái)

HSK 37 strokes

material

Print a 材 worksheet PDFPractice writing 材

Stroke order animation

Character information

Pinyin
cái
Meaning
material; timber; ability; aptitude; a capable individual; coffin (old)
Strokes
7
HSK level
HSK 3
Traditional
Same

Origin & structure

Where 材 comes from and how its parts fit together.

Phonetic-semantic compound⿰木才

In this compound, the meaning comes from 木 (wood); 才 supplies the sound.

One part carries the meaning, the other suggests the sound.

Made of

木mù才cái

Parts are arranged left to right.

How to write 材 step by step

7 strokes — each frame adds one stroke, shown in dark ink over the lighter ones.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7

Words with 材

Common words using 材 — tap any character to open its stroke-order page.

jiào教cái材
HSK 3

teaching material

Open 教材 page →
cái材liào料
HSK 4

(raw) material

Open 材料 page →
yuán原cái材liào料
HSK 7-9

raw and semifinished materials

Open 原材料 page →
qì器cái材
HSK 7-9

equipment

Open 器材 page →
mù木cái材
HSK 7-9

wood

Open 木材 page →
guān棺cái材
HSK 7-9

coffin

Open 棺材 page →
sù素cái材
HSK 7-9

source material (in literature and art)

Open 素材 page →
bù不cái材

untalented; I; me (humble); also written 不才[bu4 cai2]

Open 不材 page →

Related characters

More HSK 3 characters

专世丰丽义乡乱争

From 材’s common words

教料原器木棺素不

Ready to master 材?

Trace 材 stroke by stroke in the online practice tool, or turn it into a printable worksheet PDF with Tianzige practice grids, pinyin, and stroke-order breakdowns.

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