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素材 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
素材sùcáisource material (in literature and art)HSK 7, unknown, 17 strokes, rank #11875, Very Hard
sùcái(su4cai2) T4
  1. 1source material (in literature and art)
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March 24, 2026

素材sùcái(su4cai2)

素材 refers to source material used in art, literature, or any creative work. It encompasses various forms such as text, images, and other resources that serve as foundational elements for artistic expression or academic study.

Strokes17Frequency#11875DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 素材 is significant, especially in traditional arts like painting and calligraphy, where the selection of raw materials is essential for achieving desired artistic effects.

Memory Tip

Think of 素 (sù) as 'plain' or 'basic' and 材 (cái) as 'material' or 'timber.' Imagine a plain piece of wood that can be transformed into a beautiful sculpture, representing the raw materials (素材) that artists use to create their works.

Meanings of 素材

sùcái(su4cai2)
1source material (in literature and art)
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About 素材

素材Simplified
17Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 素材

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Podcast: 素材

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AI Study Notes for 素材

Quick Contrast

素材 (sùcái) vs 材料 (cáiliào) — use 素材 for artistic or creative source material, while 材料 refers to raw materials or ingredients in a more general or practical sense.

Usage Notes

When discussing 素材, it is often used in academic or artistic contexts. A common mistake is to confuse it with 素质 (sùzhì), which means 'quality' or 'character.' Remember that 素材 focuses on the source or materials rather than inherent qualities.

HSK Study Tips

素材 is useful for HSK Level 4 learners, as it connects with topics related to creativity and expression. Pay attention to similar compound words like 资料 (zīliào, 'data') to expand vocabulary in contexts involving information and resources.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 素材 with 材料 (cáiliào), which means 'material' in a more general sense. For example, saying '我需要新的材料' (Wǒ xūyào xīn de cáiliào) when you specifically mean 'source material' would be incorrect; use '素材' instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 素材

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Component Characters

素sùraw silk
HSK 710 strokes糸
View full entry
材cáimaterial
7 strokes木
View full entry

How to say source material (in literature and art) in Chinese

“source material (in literature and art)” in Chinese is素材sùcái

素材 refers to source material used in art, literature, or any creative work. It encompasses various forms such as text, images, and other resources that serve as foundational elements for artistic expression or academic study.

When to use 素材

When discussing 素材, it is often used in academic or artistic contexts. A common mistake is to confuse it with 素质 (sùzhì), which means 'quality' or 'character.' Remember that 素材 focuses on the source or materials rather than inherent qualities.

素材 or something close to it

素材 (sùcái) vs 材料 (cáiliào) — use 素材 for artistic or creative source material, while 材料 refers to raw materials or ingredients in a more general or practical sense.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 素材 with 材料 (cáiliào), which means 'material' in a more general sense. For example, saying '我需要新的材料' (Wǒ xūyào xīn de cáiliào) when you specifically mean 'source material' would be incorrect; use '素材' instead.

Write 素材

素
材

Practice writing 素材 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 素材

While it's more common in artistic or academic discussions, you can use 素材 casually if talking about creative projects.

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