核武器

• Pinyin: hé wǔ qì
• Hanzi breakdown: 核 = 木 + 亥 (nuclear); 武 = 止 (stop/foot) + 戈 (weapon — to stop conflict); 器 = 四口 + 犬 (vessel/implement/weapon)

Meaning

Nuclear weapon. A weapon that derives its destructive power from nuclear reactions — either fission, fusion, or a combination of both.

A politically and strategically significant term in Chinese discourse. China's official policy is 'no first use' (不首先使用核武器) and minimum deterrence. 核武器 appears frequently in arms control treaties, security studies, and international relations discussions. Associated with concepts of 核威慑 (nuclear deterrence), 核扩散 (nuclear proliferation), and 核裁军 (nuclear disarmament).

Examples

1. 中国明确承诺不首先使用核武器，并长期致力于推动全球核裁军进程。 China has clearly pledged not to be the first to use nuclear weapons and has long been committed to promoting global nuclear disarmament.
2. 核武器的巨大破坏力使其成为国际政治中最敏感的安全议题之一，任何误判都可能带来灾难性后果。 The immense destructive power of nuclear weapons makes them one of the most sensitive security issues in international politics, and any miscalculation could have catastrophic consequences.
3. 防止核武器扩散是维护国际和平与安全的重要基石，国际原子能机构承担着关键的监督职能。 Preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons is a key pillar of maintaining international peace and security, and the International Atomic Energy Agency plays a crucial supervisory role.

Usage Guide

Context: international relations, security, arms control, politics

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 核武器不扩散条约要求无核国家承诺不研发核武器，同时核国家须推进核裁军。(The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty requires non-nuclear-weapon states to pledge not to develop nuclear weapons, while nuclear-weapon states must pursue nuclear disarmament.)
• 任何理性的国家都应认识到，使用核武器将意味着不可逆转的人道主义灾难。(Any rational state should recognise that the use of nuclear weapons would entail an irreversible humanitarian catastrophe.)

Don't Say

• 核武器 loosely for 'nuclear energy' or civilian nuclear applications — use 核能 or 核技术; 核武器 carries an exclusively military connotation and should not be used in civilian energy contexts

Origin & History

核 (nuclear; atomic) + 武器 (weapon; armament)

Cultural Context

Era: Post-WWII to present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal