細さい菌きん

さ

い

き

ん

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun

bacterium; bacteria; germ

Refers to microscopic single-celled organisms, often in medical, scientific, or hygiene contexts. Can be used for both beneficial and harmful bacteria.

手てには多おおくの細さい菌きん

が

付ふ

着ちゃく

し

て

いる

。

Many bacteria are on your hands.

この薬くすりは細さい菌きんの増ぞう殖しょくを抑おさえる。

This medicine suppresses the growth of bacteria.

Usage patterns

細さい菌きんが繁はん殖しょくするfor bacteria to multiply/proliferate
夏なつは湿しっ気けで細さい菌きんが繁はん殖しょくしやすい。
In summer, bacteria tend to multiply easily due to the humidity.
細さい菌きんに感かん染せんするto become infected with bacteria
傷きず口ぐちから細さい菌きんに感かん染せんしてしまった。
I got infected with bacteria through the wound.
細さい菌きんを培ばい養ようするto culture bacteria
研けん究きゅう者しゃは培ばい養よう液えきで細さい菌きんを培ばい養ようした。
The researcher cultured the bacteria in a growth medium.
細さい菌きんを死し滅めつさせるto kill off/eliminate bacteria
高こう温おんで細さい菌きんを死し滅めつさせることができる。
High heat can kill off bacteria.
細さい菌きんが検けん出しゅつされるfor bacteria to be detected
水すい道どう水すいから細さい菌きんが検けん出しゅつされた。
Bacteria were detected in the tap water.

Kanji

細dainty, get thin, taper
菌germ, fungus, bacteria

Related words· 6

ばい菌きんN1
細菌 is the neutral, scientific term for bacteria, while ばい菌 is a casual, everyday word usually implying germs that cause harm or dirtiness.
微び生せい物ぶつ
細菌 refers specifically to bacteria, whereas 微生物 is the broader category of microorganisms that also includes fungi, protozoa, and viruses.
球きゅう菌きん
細菌 is the general term for bacteria of any shape, while 球菌 specifically refers to spherical-shaped bacteria.
大だい腸ちょう菌きん
細菌 is the general term for any bacterium, while 大腸菌 refers specifically to E. coli.

Show 2 more

バクテリア
細菌 is the native Japanese term for bacteria used in everyday hygiene and medical talk, while バクテリア is the English loanword that can sound more technical or scientific.
菌きんN2
細菌 specifically means 'bacterium', while 菌 is broader and can also refer to fungi or molds.

Don't confuse with

ウイルスN3
細菌 (bacteria) are self-replicating single-celled organisms, while ウイルス (virus) are much smaller and can only reproduce inside a host cell.
細さい胞ぼうN1
細胞 refers to the basic living unit of an organism, while 細菌 refers to bacteria, a separate microorganism; the two are often confused because both begin with 細 and appear in biology contexts.

Word family· 29

古こ細さい菌きん
archaea; archaebacteria
細さい菌きん叢そう
bacterial flora; microbiota
細さい菌きん学がく
bacteriology

Etymology

From 細 (small, fine) + 菌 (fungus, germ). The term was coined in the Meiji period as a translation for 'bacterium'.

細さい菌きん性せい

bacterial; bacillary

細さい菌きん戦せん

biological warfare; germ warfare

Show 5 more

細さい菌きん類るい
bacteria (as a taxonomic group)
鉄てつ細さい菌きん
iron bacteria
土ど壌じょう細さい菌きん
soil bacteria
水すい素そ細さい菌きん
hydrogen bacteria
発はっ光こう細さい菌きん
luminescent bacteria

See all 29 in Explore →