題材

• 読み: だいざい
• ローマ字: daizai
• 漢字の分解: 題 (dai) — theme, title, subject; 材 (zai/ki) — material, timber
• 発音: /da.i.za.i/

意味

Subject matter; material; theme; topic. The raw subject from which a work of art, literature, or journalism is fashioned.

Slightly more concrete than テーマ (theme); 題材 refers to the actual subject or source material an artist draws upon, while テーマ refers to the abstract idea explored. Often used in the construction ～を題材にする (to use ~ as subject matter). Common in literary criticism, art criticism, and journalism.

例文

1. 彼は身近な日常生活を題材にして詩を書き続けた。
2. 戦争を題材とした小説は時代を超えて読まれ続ける。
3. 画家は自分の故郷の風景を題材に生涯を通じて描き続けた。

使い方ガイド

場面: literature, art, journalism, education, creative writing

トーン: neutral

起源と歴史

Compound of 題 (title, theme) and 材 (material, timber). The metaphor of 材 as raw material that must be shaped into a finished work is central to the word's meaning.

文化的背景

時代: Modern

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal