Translation and Meaning of: 分子 - bunshi

Etymology of 「分子」(bunshi)

The word 「分子」(bunshi) is composed of two kanji: 「分」and 「子」. The kanji 「分」(bun) means "to divide" or "part", while 「子」(shi) means "child" or "element". This combination can be interpreted as "a part of something" or "a small element". This choice of kanji is quite logical considering the scientific use of the word.

Definition and Usage

In scientific terminology, 「分子」(bunshi) refers to "molecule." A molecule is the smallest unit of a substance that retains its chemical properties. In the context of chemistry, molecules are composed of atoms bonded together. For example, water is made up of molecules that are formed by two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom (H2O).

  • "分" (bun) - divide, part
  • "子" (shi) - child, element

Origins and Evolution

The use of 「分子」(bunshi) in the modern context, especially in science, reflects the Western influence on the Japanese language during the Meiji Era, when many scientific were adopted and adapted into Japanese. Before the adoption of these concepts, knowledge about atomic and molecular structures was limited. With the increasing interaction with the West and the need to translate scientific texts, Japanese scholars created new or adapted existing words to accommodate new ideas.

The variation in the use of 「分子」 is interesting to observe in disciplines such as chemistry and physics, where the term is fundamental for explaining the composition and behavior of materials. With the advancement of science, the understanding of 「分子」 has expanded, allowing for breakthroughs in areas such as molecular biology and nanotechnology.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

  • 分子 (bunshi) - Molecule
  • 分節 (bunsetsu) - Segment, section
  • 分割 (bunkatsu) - Division, partition
  • 分化 (bunka) - Differentiation, specialization
  • 分散 (bunsan) - Dispersion, diffusion
  • 分裂 (bunretsu) - Division, fracturing
  • 分離 (bunri) - Separation, disaggregation

Related words

有機

yuuki

organic

分母

bunbo

denominator

fun

minute

tetsu

Iron

chou

super-; ultra-; hyper-

kaku

core

分子

Romaji: bunshi
Kana: ぶんし
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: numerator; molecule

Meaning in English: numerator;molecule

Definition: In chemistry, the smallest unit made of atoms bonded to each other.

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How to Write in Japanese - (分子) bunshi

See below a step-by-step guide on how to write the word by hand in Japanese. (分子) bunshi:

Example Sentences - (分子) bunshi

See below some example sentences:

分子は化学的な構成要素です。

Bunshi wa kagakuteki na kōseiyōso desu

Molecule is a fundamental chemical component.

Molecules are chemical components.

  • 分子 - "molecule" in Japanese.
  • は - It is a grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
  • 化学的な - It means "químico" in Japanese.
  • 構成要素 - "componente" means "コンポーネント" in Japanese.
  • です - It is a grammatical particle that indicates the end of the sentence and formality.
分母は分子よりも大きいです。

Bunbo wa bunshi yori mo ookii desu

The denominator is larger than the molecule.

  • 分母 - means "denominator" in Japanese.
  • は - It is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
  • 分子 - It means "numerador" in Japanese.
  • よりも - It is a Japanese expression that means "more than".
  • 大きい - means "big" in Japanese.
  • です - It is a polite way to say "is" in Japanese.

Other Words of this Type: noun

See other words from our dictionary that are also: noun

分子