TSUMUGU · TOCFL 4 (est.) · 詞
材料
ㄘㄞˊ ㄌㄧㄠˋ · cáiliào
noun — material; ingredient; data, information (in academic/formal use)
字源 FORM — what the parts do
材timber; raw material; talent (材料的材)cái木 (tree) + 才 (phonetic cái) — the usable timber from a tree; by extension, the raw potential in any material
料material; ingredient; to estimate (材料的料)liào米 (grain) + 斗 (measuring ladle) — counting grain into a measure; what you weigh out before work begins
材料，木材的材，材料的料。
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
木（材：木）取下可用的一段（才）；米（料：米）以斗量好份量——從自然取出、量好再用，這叫材料。
The useful length taken from the tree (材: 木 + 才 phonetic); grain (米 in 料) measured into the ladle (斗) — what you take from nature and count out for use. That is 材料.
字源記憶法