教材 (jiàocái) — teaching material, textbook
HSK 5 | noun | materials used for teaching, including textbooks and instructional resources
教材 (jiàocái)
The printed, digital, or multimedia resources used in formal teaching -- broader than just textbooks and including all instructional content.
Meanings
- [noun] teaching material, textbook, instructional resource
Example Sentences
这套教材专为中级汉语学习者设计。 Zhè tào jiàocái zhuān wèi zhōngjí Hànyǔ xuéxízhě shèjì. This set of teaching materials is designed specifically for intermediate Chinese learners.
学校决定更新老化的数学教材以适应新课程标准。 Xuéxiào juédìng gēngxīn lǎohuà de shùxué jiàocái yǐ shìyìng xīn kèchéng biāozhǔn. The school decided to update its outdated math textbooks to meet the new curriculum standards.
数字化教材让学生可以随时随地学习。 Shùzìhuà jiàocái ràng xuéshēng kěyǐ suíshí suídì xuéxí. Digital teaching materials allow students to learn anytime, anywhere.
编写一套高质量的教材需要多年的积累。 Biānxiě yī tào gāo zhìliàng de jiàocái xūyào duō nián de jīlěi. Writing a high-quality set of teaching materials requires many years of accumulated experience.
老师建议学生除课本外多参考其他教材。 Lǎoshī jiànyì xuéshēng chú kèběn wài duō cānkǎo qítā jiàocái. The teacher suggested that students consult other teaching materials in addition to the textbook.
开放教育资源运动致力于向所有人提供免费教材。 Kāifàng jiàoyù zīyuán yùndòng zhìlì yú xiàng suǒyǒu rén tígōng miǎnfèi jiàocái. The Open Educational Resources movement is dedicated to providing free teaching materials to everyone.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 编写教材 (biānxiě jiàocái) | to compile teaching materials |
| 数字化教材 (shùzìhuà jiàocái) | digital teaching materials |
| 教材内容 (jiàocái nèiróng) | content of teaching materials |
| 更新教材 (gēngxīn jiàocái) | to update teaching materials |
| 配套教材 (pèitào jiàocái) | accompanying/supplementary materials |
| 教材建设 (jiàocái jiànshè) | development of teaching materials |
Usage Notes
教材 is broader than 课本 (kèběn, textbook). While 课本 refers specifically to the bound book used in class, 教材 encompasses all instructional resources: workbooks, audio files, videos, and online platforms. In official educational discourse, 教材建设 (development of teaching materials) is a policy goal.
At B2 level, 教材 is essential vocabulary for discussing education systems, curriculum design, and language learning. It frequently appears in news about school reforms and publishing.
Memory Hook
教 means "to teach" and 材 means "material/timber" -- the raw material that teaching is built from. 教材 is literally the timber of education.