Physical substances used to make something, such as cooking ingredients, building materials, or raw materials for manufacturing.
I'm going to buy ingredients for curry.
This desk is made of sturdy materials.
Information, topics, or content used as the basis for a creative work, research, or discussion.
I went on a trip to gather material for a novel.
His experience became good material for the article.
Facts, data, or information used as a basis for a decision, judgment, or evaluation.
I don't have enough grounds for a decision, so I'll look into it a bit more.
This data will serve as a basis for deciding policy.
market factor
Finance term for a piece of information or condition that influences market movements.
Employment statistics are drawing attention as a factor for exchange rates.
I got together the ingredients for this cake.
I'm gathering material to write the report.
First cut the ingredients, then stir-fry them.
He used his own experience as material for his novel.
Let's decide using this data as our basis.
There's little evidence to support that claim.
材料 is the neutral, formal term for material or information used in reporting, whereas ネタ is casual slang for the same idea, often implying juicy or newsworthy content.
材料 is a broad term for materials or ingredients in any context (cooking, construction, data), whereas 原材料 specifically means the basic substances that become part of a manufactured product.
材料 usually refers to concrete ingredients or components used in cooking or manufacturing, whereas マテリアル is a broader, often more abstract or stylish term for material.
材料 emphasizes raw materials used to make something, whereas 成分 emphasizes the analytical breakdown of what something already consists of.
材料 is the general word for ingredients or materials, while 元 refers more specifically to a prepared base, mix, or stock, as in 天ぷらの元.
材料 is a broader word for materials or ingredients in general (including non-raw, processed items), whereas 主原料 refers specifically to the main raw material.
bearish factor; negative market factor
new material; exotic material