Meaning
原料 refers to the basic materials or ingredients used to manufacture products or prepare food. It encompasses both industrial raw materials (like metals, chemicals, wood) and food ingredients (like flour, vegetables, meat). The word emphasizes the unprocessed or minimally processed state of these materials before they undergo transformation.
Usage
This word is commonly used in manufacturing, industrial, and culinary contexts. In everyday speech, 食材 (shí cái) is often preferred when specifically discussing cooking ingredients, while 原料 is more formal and technical. It frequently appears in business, factory, and supply chain contexts when discussing sourcing and production.
Examples
- 01这个工厂主要生产塑料制品，需要从国外进口原料。, .This factory mainly produces plastic products and needs to import raw materials from abroad.
- 02制作这道菜需要新鲜的原料，不能用冷冻的。, .Making this dish requires fresh ingredients; you can't use frozen ones.
Characters
Measure words
- 种三种原料
- 批一批原料
Common collocations
- 原料供应raw material supply
- 原料成本raw material cost
- 加工原料to process raw materials
- 天然原料natural raw materials
Antonyms
Origin
The compound combines 原 (original/primary) with 料 (material), literally meaning 'original materials' or 'primary substances.' This straightforward construction reflects the word's meaning as the starting point in a production or cooking process.