raw material
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raw material
An unprocessed substance obtained from nature that serves as the basis for the industrial production of goods or for energy generation.
Erdöl ist ein wichtiger Rohstoff für die chemische Industrie.
Petroleum is an important raw material for the chemical industry.
The word is made up of 'roh' (raw) and 'Stoff' (material/substance). So it literally means 'raw material' or 'unprocessed material'.
Holz ist ein vielseitiger und nachwachsender Rohstoff.
Wood is a versatile and renewable raw material.
Common verbs used in connection with raw materials are 'fördern' (to extract), 'gewinnen' (to obtain/extract), 'verarbeiten' (to process), and 'importieren' (to import). Typical adjectives are 'wertvoll' (valuable), 'selten' (rare), or 'natürlich' (natural).
Viele Länder müssen wichtige Rohstoffe importieren.
Many countries have to import important raw materials.
The term 'Rohstoff' (raw material) is very often used in economic, industrial, and geological contexts when referring to the basis of production.
Die Preise für viele Rohstoffe sind in den letzten Monaten gestiegen.
The prices of many raw materials have risen in recent months.
material
'Material' and 'Rohstoff' can both refer to a substance from which something is made. However, 'Rohstoff' is more specific: it refers to a substance from nature that has not been processed, or has hardly been processed, for example wood, petroleum, or ore. 'Material' is more general and can also have already been processed, for example paper, fabric, or plastic. Learners can confuse the words because both appear in production and crafts. In practical terms: at the beginning of production, people often speak of 'Rohstoff'; when building, crafting, or making something, they are more likely to use 'Material'.
Holz ist ein wichtiger Rohstoff für Möbel und Papier.
Wood is an important raw material for furniture and paper.
Für den Stuhl brauchen wir ein leichtes, aber stabiles Material.
For the chair, we need a lightweight but sturdy material.