Japanese word

原料

Pronunciation

Romajigenryō

Meaning

  • nounraw material

Example

この製品の原料は植物油です。ko no sei hin no gen ryō wa shoku butsu yu de su

The raw material for this product is vegetable oil.

Illustration for 原料 (raw material)

More examples

この工場では原料を厳しく検査しています。ko no kō jō de wa gen ryō o kibi shi ku ken sa shi te i ma su

This factory strictly inspects its raw materials.

Core concept

Points to the basic substance from which a manufactured item or food is made.

Common phrases

  • 原料を調達するgen ryō o chō tatsu su ru

    source raw materials

  • 原料を検査するgen ryō o ken sa su ru

    inspect raw materials

  • 原料を加工するgen ryō o ka kō su ru

    process raw materials

Similar words

材料zairyō: A substance used in making, building, or preparing something.
原材料genzairyō: The substances from which a manufactured product is made.
素材sozai: A material regarded as the source or basis of a finished product or creation.

Definition in Japanese

製品や食品を作るために用いるもとの物質。sei hin ya shoku hin o tsuku ru ta me ni mochi i ru mo to no bus shitsu

Word origin

The compound 原料 (genryō) joins 原 (gen, "source") with 料 (ryō, "material"), so it denotes material that serves as a product's starting substance.

Usage tips

  • 原料 (genryō) is common in descriptions of industrial products, while 材料 (zairyō) is more usual when listing the items needed for cooking or making something.

Other meanings

  • ingredientnoun

Word lists with this word