noun
mercury(II) chloride; corrosive sublimate
A toxic inorganic compound with the formula HgCl₂, used historically as a disinfectant and in chemical synthesis. The term is technical and primarily encountered in chemistry contexts.
塩化第二水銀は、かつて消毒薬として使われていた。
Mercury(II) chloride was once used as a disinfectant.
Mercury(I) chloride (Hg₂Cl₂), also known as calomel, is less toxic and was used in medicine. 塩化第二水銀 is the mercury(II) form, which is more corrosive and toxic.
Compound of 塩化 (えんか, 'chloride') + 第二 (だいに, 'second') + 水銀 (すいぎん, 'mercury'), literally 'mercury dichloride'. The term follows standard inorganic nomenclature for mercury(II) chloride.