Provided are a formaldehyde scavenger capable of providing excellent formaldehyde scavenging performance without discoloring a wood material and not reemitting formaldehyde, and a wood material using the same.The formaldehyde scavenger contains urea, ammonium phosphate monobasic and ammonium phosphate dibasic. The formaldehyde scavenger contains urea, ammonium phosphate monobasic and ammonium phosphate dibasic preferably in a weight ratio of urea/ammonium phosphate monobasic/ammonium phosphate dibasic in the range of 5 to 45/0.5 to 15/1 to 20, and further preferably in a weight ratio of urea/ammonium phosphate monobasic/ammonium phosphate dibasic in the range of 10 to 35/1 to 10/2 to 15. The wood material is prepared by applying the formaldehyde scavenger thereto. The formaldehyde scavenger is preferably applied in the range of 1 to 50 g/m2 by dry weight.