激光

• Pinyin: jī guāng
• Hanzi breakdown: 激 = 氵 + 敫 (forceful energy/stimulation); 光 = 火 + 儿 (fire + person kneeling, emitted light)

Meaning

Laser; a highly concentrated beam of coherent, monochromatic light produced by stimulated emission of radiation. Used in medicine, manufacturing, communications, and everyday technology.

A calque (loan translation) of the English word LASER. Common in technology, medicine (激光手术 — laser surgery), manufacturing (激光切割 — laser cutting), and consumer products (激光笔 — laser pointer).

Examples

1. 激光切割技术在精密制造领域的广泛应用大幅提升了生产效率和产品质量。 The widespread use of laser cutting in precision manufacturing has greatly improved productivity and product quality.
2. 她选择了激光手术来矫正视力，从此告别了长期佩戴眼镜的诸多不便。 She chose laser surgery to correct her vision and finally said goodbye to the many inconveniences of wearing glasses long-term.
3. 科学家利用高功率激光模拟核聚变反应，探索未来清洁能源利用的可能性。 Scientists use high-power lasers to simulate nuclear fusion reactions, exploring the possibility of harnessing clean energy in the future.

Usage Guide

Context: science, medicine, technology, manufacturing

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 现代激光技术已广泛应用于医疗诊断、光纤通信、工业制造及国防军事等多个核心领域。(Modern laser technology has been widely applied in multiple core fields including medical diagnostics, optical fiber communications, industrial manufacturing, and national defence.)
• 这台激光雕刻机能够在金属表面刻出精度极高的复杂图案，误差控制在一毫米以内。(This laser engraving machine can engrave highly precise and complex patterns on metal surfaces with errors controlled within one millimetre.)

Don't Say

• 激光是很强的光 — technically inaccurate; laser light is specifically coherent and monochromatic, not merely bright; use more precise descriptions in scientific contexts

Origin & History

激 (stimulated) + 光 (light) — calque of LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal