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二重螺旋 (nijuurasen) Japanese meaning: double helix | Kotomora

二に重じゅう螺ら旋せん

に

じゅ

う

ら

せ

ん

Meanings

1

double helix

Primarily refers to the structure of DNA. Used in biology, genetics, and popular science.

DNAは二に重じゅう螺ら旋せん構こう造ぞうをしている。

DNA has a double helix structure.

ワトソンとクリックが二に重じゅう螺ら旋せんモデルを提てい唱しょうした。

Watson and Crick proposed the double helix model.

Kanji

二two, two radical (no. 7)
重heavy, important, esteem
螺small, edible, helical fresh-water mollusk
旋rotation, go around

Related words

螺ら旋せん
螺旋 means 'spiral' or 'helix' in general, while 二重螺旋 specifically refers to the double helix, especially of DNA.

Built from

二に重じゅう+螺ら旋せん

Written forms

二に重じゅう螺ら旋せん
Standard kanji spelling for 'double helix'.
二に重じゅうらせん
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; common in educational or simplified contexts.

Etymology

Compound of 二重 (にじゅう, 'double') and 螺旋 (らせん, 'spiral, helix'). The term became common after the discovery of DNA's structure.