A hydrophilic material having a hydrophilic nature and being biocompatible and processable into nanoparticles wherein a hydrophilic monomer such as threitol or a hydrophilic polymer such as polyethylene glycol is attached to the ²-position of an ², ²-unsaturated carboxyl group of a (co)polymer comprising an aromatic compound such as 4-hydroxycinnamic acid in which an aromatic ring is substituted by the ±, ²-unsaturated carboxyl group and one or more hydroxyl groups. In particular, a hydrophilic material having a nanoparticle size which is highly dispersible in water, can well migrate into the blood and is useful as a drug carrier, a medical material and a sustained drug release material.
