木材
mokuzai[mo̞kɯ̟za̠i]
In Japanese, timber is called 木材 (mokuzai). Wiktionary also lists 材木 (zaimoku).
Meaning: wood that has been cut ready for construction (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 木材 | mokuzai | [mo̞kɯ̟za̠i] (narrow) |
| 材木 | zaimoku |
The term refers to wood that has been cut ready for construction. You should use 木材 when discussing wood as a commodity or a raw material in a general sense, such as 'timber prices' (木材価格). In contrast, use 材木 when referring to the physical objects or the stock of wood used for building, such as at a lumber yard.
Which one should you use?
The term 木材 (mokuzai) is more formal and technical, often used in industrial, commercial or academic contexts to refer to wood as a material. The term 材木 (zaimoku) is more commonly used in everyday conversation and by tradespeople to refer to actual pieces of lumber or timber used in construction.
How do you pronounce it?
mokuzai
Did you know?
- While 木材 (mokuzai) is a general material term, the character 材 (zai) itself refers to 'talent' or 'ability' when applied to people, implying that useful wood and useful people share the same essence of being 'material' for society.
- Traditional Japanese architecture uses a technique called 木組み (kigumi), which relies on complex interlocking joints of 材木 to build structures without using any nails.
- The word 材 (zai) in 木材 is used in the word 素材 (sozai), which can refer to raw data or food ingredients despite the root meaning 'timber'.
Examples in context
- この建物には質の良い木材が使われている。Kono tatemono ni wa shitsu no yoi mokuzai ga tsukawarete iru.This building uses high-quality timber.
- 木材の価格が高騰しています。Mokuzai no kakaku ga koutou shite imasu.The price of timber is soaring.
- トラックに木材を積んでいる。Torakku ni mokuzai o tsunde iru.He is loading timber onto a truck.
Example conversation
Daito and Himari are looking at building materials.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵、この木材はどう思う？Himari, kono mokuzai wa dō omou?Himari, what do you think of this timber?
- 陽葵 Himari色がとても綺麗ですね。Iro ga totemo kirei desu ne.The color is very beautiful.
- 大翔 Hiroto丈夫な木材を選びたいんだ。Jōbu na mokuzai o erabitai nda.I want to choose a durable timber.
- 陽葵 Himariそれなら、こちらの方がいいですよ。Sore nara, kochira no hō ga ii desu yo.In that case, this one is better.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “timber” translations and entries 木材, 材木, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
