酵こう素そ

こ

う

そ

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

Biochemistry term for a protein that acts as a catalyst in living organisms. Common in scientific, medical, and nutritional contexts.

この洗せん剤ざいには酵こう素そが配はい合ごうされている。
This detergent contains enzymes.
酵こう素その働はたらきでデンプンが分ぶん解かいされる。
Starch is broken down by the action of enzymes.

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Usage patterns

〈物もの〉を酵こう素そで分ぶん解かいするto break down something with an enzyme
体たい内ないの酵こう素そがでんぷんを分ぶん解かいする。
Enzymes in the body break down starch.
酵こう素そが働はたらくfor an enzyme to act/function
この温おん度どでは酵こう素そがよく働はたらく。
The enzyme functions well at this temperature.
酵こう素そを摂せっ取しゅするto ingest/take in enzymes
健けん康こうのために酵こう素そを摂せっ取しゅしている。
I take in enzymes for my health.

Kanji

酵fermentation
素elementary, principle, naked

Don't confuse with

酵こう母ぼ
酵素 refers to an enzyme, a catalytic protein, while 酵母 refers to yeast, the living microorganism; the shared kanji 酵 leads learners to mix them up.
毒どく素そ
毒素 (a toxin) and 酵素 (an enzyme) sound and look similar because both end in 素, but they refer to opposite kinds of biological substances—harmful versus functional.

Counted with

種しゅ類るいN3
Individual 酵素 are usually not counted as discrete objects; instead 種類 is used to count the number of distinct kinds of enzyme (三種類の酵素).

Word family· 33

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制せい限げん酵こう素そ
restriction enzyme; restriction endonuclease
合ごう成せい酵こう素そ
ligase; synthase; synthetase
呼こ吸きゅう酵こう素そ
respiratory enzyme
植しょく物ぶつ酵こう素そ
plant enzyme; vegetable enzyme
活かっ性せい酵こう素そ
active enzyme

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Etymology

From 酵 (fermentation, leaven) and 素 (element, principle). Coined in the late 19th century as a translation of the Western scientific term 'enzyme'.