A carbon material and a material for a battery electrode which is suitable for use as an electrode material for an aqueous-electrolyte secondary battery, which material includes optical structures having a specific shape, and in which material the ratio IG/ID (R value) between the peak intensity (ID) of a peak in a range of 1300 to 1400 cm−1 and the peak intensity (IG) of a peak in a range of 1580 to 1620 cm−1 measured by Raman spectroscopy spectra when particles of the carbon material are measured with Raman microspectrometer is 0.38 or more and 1.2 or less and the average interplanar spacing d002 of plane (002) by the X-ray diffraction method is 0.335 nm or more and 0.338 nm or less; and a secondary battery excellent in charge/discharge cycle characteristics and large current load characteristics.