化合物

• Reading: かごうぶつ
• Romaji: kagoubutsu
• Kanji breakdown: 化 (ka) — change, transform; 合 (gou) — combine, join; 物 (butsu) — thing, substance
• Pronunciation: /ka.goː.bɯ.tsɯ/

Meaning

Chemical compound. A substance formed by the chemical combination of two or more elements.

A chemistry noun distinguishing compounds from mixtures (混合物, kongoubutsu) and single elements (元素, genso). The verb form 化合する (kagou suru) means 'to combine chemically.' Common in science classes and technical contexts. Key collocations include 有機化合物 (yuuki kagoubutsu, organic compound) and 無機化合物 (muki kagoubutsu, inorganic compound).

Examples

1. 水は水素と酸素からなる化合物だ。 Water is a compound made up of hydrogen and oxygen.
2. 有機化合物は炭素を含む物質の総称だ。 Organic compounds are a collective term for substances containing carbon.
3. 新しい化合物の合成に成功した研究チームが表彰された。 A research team that succeeded in synthesizing a new compound was given an award.

Usage Guide

Context: chemistry, science education, research

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 化合 (kagou, chemical combination) + 物 (butsu, substance). Literally 'chemically combined substance.' 化合 itself means 'to combine through transformation.'

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal