also: ほうさん
noun
boric acid
Chemical compound H₃BO₃; used as an antiseptic, insecticide, and in various industrial applications.
ホウ酸はゴキブリ駆除に使われることがある。
Boric acid is sometimes used for cockroach extermination.
ホウ酸水でうがいをすると喉の痛みが和らぐと言われている。
Gargling with boric acid solution is said to soothe a sore throat.
Borax (sodium borate), a related boron compound often used in cleaning and as a flux, while ホウ酸 is the acid form.
From ホウ (boron) + 酸 (acid). The katakana portion reflects the element name, and 酸 is the standard suffix for acids in Japanese chemical terminology.