A tungsten cathode material to be used for TIG welding, plasma spraying, plasma cutting, electro-discharge machining, discharge lamps, and the like is improved; use of the radioactive element thorium is reduced; and a long life and a high performance are realized. In a tungsten cathode material, oxide particles containing an oxide or oxides of at least one selected from the group consisting of Sm, Nd, Gd, and La in a total amount of 50 vol % or more are dispersed, the oxide particles having an average particle diameter d satisfying the relationship 0