_____ material
Meaning: Having the qualities or potential to be a specific type of person or thing — '[X] material.'
Calling someone or something '[X] material' means they embody the qualities of that thing. 'Wife material' means someone has qualities you'd want in a spouse. 'CEO material' means someone seems destined for leadership. 'Meme material' means something is perfect for becoming a meme. The format is flexible and can be applied to any category or aspiration.
Examples
- She organized the entire event by herself — CEO material right there. 她一个人把整个活动都组织了——这就是CEO的料。Organizó todo el evento ella sola — material de CEO, sin duda.彼女はイベント全体を一人で仕切った — まさにCEOの器だよ。그녀가 혼자서 행사 전체를 기획했어 — 완전 CEO감이야.
- That sunset photo is wallpaper material. It's gorgeous. 那张日落照片可以当壁纸。太漂亮了。Esa foto del atardecer es material de fondo de pantalla. Es preciosa.あの夕焼けの写真は壁紙にぴったり。すごく綺麗。그 석양 사진 배경화면감이야. 너무 예뻐.
- He brought snacks to the study group without being asked. Husband material. 他没人叫就自己带零食来了学习小组。老公的料。Trajo aperitivos al grupo de estudio sin que nadie se lo pidiera. Material de marido.彼は頼まれてもないのに勉強会にお菓子を持ってきた。旦那の素質あり。그는 아무도 안 부탁했는데 스터디 모임에 간식을 가져왔어. 남편감이야.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: compliments, social media, evaluation
Tone: evaluative, praising
✓ Do Say
- She's main character material.她就是主角的料。Es material de protagonista.彼女は主人公の素質がある。그녀는 주인공감이야.
- That's meme material for sure.这绝对是表情包的料。Eso es material de meme seguro.それは確実にミームの素材だね。그거 확실히 밈감이야.
✗ Don't Say
- Be thoughtful about objectifying people — 'wife material' based only on appearance can feel reductive注意不要物化别人——仅凭外貌就说'wife material'会让人觉得被简化了Piénsatelo antes de cosificar a la gente — 'wife material' basado solo en la apariencia puede resultar reduccionista人をモノ扱いしないよう注意 — 外見だけで「wife material」と言うのは人を軽んじている印象を与える사람을 대상화하는 것에 주의하자 — 외모만으로 'wife material'이라 하면 환원적으로 느껴질 수 있다
Origin & History
The '[X] material' format has existed in American English for decades ('marriage material,' 'star material'), but Gen Z expanded its use dramatically through social media, applying it creatively to every category imaginable. TikTok made it a standard compliment format.
Cultural Context
Era: Traditional, revived 2020s
Generation: Gen Z
Social background: Universal
More From This Topic
More from Gen Z & Modern Slang
Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation & spaced repetition — all free