Kanji: 材 (Material/Timber)
The kanji 材 means "material," "timber," or "resources." It refers to the substance or raw matter used to make something, most commonly associated with wood or lumber.
Key Reading:
On-yomi (Sino-Japanese reading): ザイ (zai)
Common Words & Usage:
材料 (zairyō) - Noun. Ingredients, materials.
木材 (mokuzai) - Noun. Lumber, timber.
教材 (kyōzai) - Noun. Teaching materials.
人材 (jinzai) - Noun. Human resources, personnel.
Example Sentence:
Japanese: この机は良い木材から作られています。
Romaji: Kono tsukue wa yoi mokuzai kara tsukurarete imasu.
English: This desk is made from good timber.
Learning the correct stroke order for kanji like 材 is essential for balanced, legible Japanese handwriting and is a fundamental part of mastering kanji writing.