noun
explosive charge; explosives
Technical term for an explosive substance used in military, mining, or demolition contexts.
工兵が橋を破壊するために炸薬を仕掛けた。
The combat engineers set explosive charges to destroy the bridge.
この鉱山では、発破に炸薬が使われている。
In this mine, explosives are used for blasting.
Compound of 炸 (explode, burst) and 薬 (chemical substance, drug). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination is conventionally associated with the meaning 'explosive charge'.