The Chinese word **素材** is a compound noun formed by combining two meaningful characters: **素**, which in this context conveys the idea of "basic," "raw," or "elemental," and **材**, which means "material" or "substance." Together, they create a term that literally translates to "raw material," but its modern usage is almost exclusively metaphorical, referring to the foundational, unprocessed reference materials—such as notes, images, data, or experiences—that are collected and later refined or synthesized into a finished creative work, research project, or presentation.