题材 tícái subject matter
How to remember 题材: 题 topic + 材 timber = subject matter.
Characters
How it is used
- Subject matter / theme (of a work) - 战争题材 (zhànzhēng tícái) a war theme, 题材新颖 (tícái xīnyǐng) a fresh subject.
- The topic/material an artwork, film, or story is built on; contrast 主题 (zhǔtí, the central message/theme).
- 题材 = what it's about; 主题 = what it means.