Refers to wood as a building material. Often used in compounds like 木材 (もくざい) or 材木 (ざいもく).
This house is built with good timber.
General term for raw materials or ingredients. Common in compounds like 材料 (ざいりょう) or 食材 (しょくざい).
talent; ability; capable person
Refers to a person's natural aptitude or a person with talent. Often used in compounds like 人材 (じんざい) or 逸材 (いつざい).
I cut some lumber and made a shelf.
I'm going to buy ingredients for cooking.
This product is made from high-quality materials.
He is a promising talent for the future.
The company is looking for new talent.
材料 is the everyday word for materials or ingredients, while 材 alone is a more formal, compound-forming element with the same idea.
人材 specifically means talented people or human resources, whereas 材 alone is a more abstract term for innate talent.
Can be used when the timber is counted as long, cylindrical pieces or logs.
ingredient; raw material; resource · unprocessed timber; raw timber · subject matter; topic
gathering material; collecting information; covering an event; reporting; interviewing
materials; ingredients · material; subject matter · grounds; basis; evidence · market factor
capable person; talented individual · human resources; personnel
foodstuff; ingredient
equipment; machinery and materials · materials for manufacturing machinery
teaching materials; educational resources
subject matter; theme; material (for a work)
materials; resources; supplies
Standard kanji form for all senses.
The kanji 材 originally depicts a tree (木) and talent/ability (才), suggesting 'useful wood' or 'material with potential'. The reading ざい is the on'yomi.
lumber; timber; wood as material
material; substance · material quality; quality of material
outstanding talent; gifted person
building material; construction material
lumber; timber; wood (for building)
component; part; material; member
stone; building stone
art supplies; art materials · subject matter of a painting; motif
steel material; steel products
equipment and materials; tools and supplies
lumber sawing; lumber milling
scrap wood; waste wood · waste material; scrap material
squared timber; rectangular lumber
materials; supplies · lumber; timber
wooden board; plank
right person for the job; suitable candidate
filter medium; filter material
log; round timber
main ingredients; chief materials
dry lumber; seasoned timber
ingredient; material