ingredients, materials

JLPT N1 10 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Overview

The character (liào) primarily means 'ingredients' or 'materials' and is commonly used in contexts involving cooking, manufacturing, or any situation where physical components are involved. It also functions as a verb meaning 'to expect' or 'to anticipate,' often used in expressions about predicting outcomes.

Common Uses

  • As a noun, refers to tangible materials or ingredients, e.g., (food supplies), 原料 (raw materials).
  • As a verb, it appears in phrases like (to anticipate) or (to expect).

Collocations and Patterns

  • 做饭 (ingredients for cooking): used when talking about food preparation.
  • (did not expect): expresses surprise or unexpected results.
  • (to predict events accurately): a fixed expression praising someone's foresight.

Usage Notes

When used as a verb, often appears in negative or interrogative sentences to express surprise or doubt about an outcome. As a noun, it is often combined with other characters to specify the type of material. Avoid confusing with (le), which is a particle indicating completed action.

Common Confusion

Learners sometimes confuse as only meaning 'material' and overlook its verbal use related to expectation. Pay attention to context to distinguish these meanings.

Example Sentences

Making a cake requires many ingredients, such as flour and eggs.

I did not expect that he would finish the task so quickly.

The ending of this movie exceeded my expectations.