材 (cái) is a Chinese character meaning “timber”. It is written from 木 (tree; wood) and 才 (talent; ability), side by side, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “material; timber”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
木 + 才
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：木 4 画 + 才 3 画 = 7 画）
Memory aid
Wood (木) on the left tells you what it is about; 才 on the right hands you the sound cái. Wood that is good for something is material. Both parts are really in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 木材mù cáitimber; wood (as material)材 = cái
- 材料cái liàomaterial; ingredients; data for a piece of work材 = cái
Go deeper
All readings
material; timber
timber; material; stuff things are made of; ability, capable person
可以用来制造东西的木料，泛指材料；也指人的能力或有能力的人。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 木材mù cáitimber; wood (as material)材 = cái
- 材料cái liàomaterial; ingredients; data for a piece of work材 = cái
Sound component
才 family exact
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 材 mean?
材 (cái) means timber; material; stuff things are made of; ability, capable person.
How do you pronounce 材?
It is pronounced cái.
What parts is 材 made of?
木 (tree; wood) and 才 (talent; ability), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：木 4 画 + 才 3 画 = 7 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 材 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 材?
木. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 材?
Common ones are 木材 and 材料. The reading of 材 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.