noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
caustic
Technical term used in chemistry to describe substances that can burn or corrode organic tissue. Often appears in compound terms like 苛性ソーダ (caustic soda).
Caustic soda is a strong alkali.
この薬品は苛性があるので、取り扱いに注意してください。
This chemical is caustic, so please handle it with care.
caustic soda; sodium hydroxide
caustic potash; potassium hydroxide
caustic alkali; lye
Standard kanji form used in technical contexts such as chemistry.
The kanji 苛 means 'torment' or 'severe', and 性 means 'nature' or 'property', together forming the concept of a harsh, burning quality. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is used in modern Japanese as a direct translation of the English 'caustic' in scientific contexts.