nuclear

/ˈnjuːkliə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈnuːkliər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnü-klē-ər ˈnyü- nonstandard -kyə-lər/ (ame, mw)

nuclear — 形容詞

  • nuclearpositive
  • more nuclearcomparative
  • most nuclearsuperlative

1. relating to the process of creating usable energy by splitting the central part

1.形容詞B2
釋義

核能的

與原子核分裂或融合產生能源有關

relating to the process of creating usable energy by splitting the central part of an atom (fission) or by joining two atomic centres together (fusion)

例句

Roya's village gets its electricity from a nuclear power station built in 2015.

Roya 住的村莊用一座 2015 年建造的核能發電廠來供應電力。

collocation: nuclear power station

France produces about seventy percent of its electricity from nuclear energy.

法國約有七成的電力來自核能。

collocation: nuclear energy

同義詞
  • atomic

    broader in meaning; 'atomic energy' can refer to any energy from atoms, while 'nuclear energy' specifically refers to reactions in the nucleus

  • thermonuclear

    more specific; refers only to fusion reactions (e.g. a hydrogen bomb or fusion reactor), not general nuclear power

文法句型

nuclear + noun

用法筆記

This sense is always used before a noun — you cannot say 'The energy is nuclear' to mean it comes from nuclear sources. The noun itself (e.g. power, energy, reactor) carries the specific meaning.

常見錯誤

❌The country uses atomic power to generate electricity.' (when meaning nuclear)
✅The country uses nuclear power to generate electricity.
💡'Atomic' is broader and less precise; for power generation the standard term is 'nuclear'.
❌They are building a new nuclear.
✅They are building a new nuclear reactor / nuclear power plant.
💡'Nuclear' is an adjective and cannot stand alone as a noun for a facility.

2. relating to bombs, missiles, and other arms that cause enormous explosions by re

2.形容詞B2
釋義

核武的

與利用核反應產生破壞力的武器有關

relating to bombs, missiles, and other arms that cause enormous explosions by releasing energy from the centre of an atom, often with long-lasting radioactive effects

例句

The international treaty aims to stop the spread of nuclear weapons to more countries.

這項國際條約旨在防止核子武器擴散到更多國家。

collocation: nuclear weapons

Hui's grandfather worked as a physicist on early nuclear bomb projects during the 1940s.

Hui 的祖父曾在 1940 年代以物理學家身分參與早期的核彈研發計畫。

collocation: nuclear bomb

同義詞
  • atomic

    historically used for early nuclear bombs ('atomic bomb'), but 'nuclear' is now the standard term in modern military contexts

  • thermonuclear

    refers specifically to hydrogen bombs that use fusion; a subset of nuclear weapons

反義詞
  • conventional

    refers to weapons that do not use nuclear reactions (e.g. regular bombs, guns)

文法句型

nuclear + noun

用法筆記

Frequently paired with nouns describing the weapon itself (bomb, warhead, missile), the act of using it (test, attack, strike), or related policy (deterrent, proliferation, disarmament). Can also describe a country's status: 'a nuclear power' means a country that possesses nuclear weapons, not one that produces nuclear energy.

常見錯誤

❌Several countries have nuclear.
✅Several countries have nuclear weapons.
💡'Nuclear' cannot function as a noun meaning 'nuclear weapons'.

3. belonging to or having to do with the dense, positively charged centre of an ato

3.形容詞B2
釋義

原子核的

與原子中心帶正電的原子核有關

belonging to or having to do with the dense, positively charged centre of an atom, which contains protons and neutrons

例句

In science class, Ezra learned that nuclear fission happens when a neutron strikes the centre of a uranium atom.

在自然課上，Ezra 學到核分裂是當中子撞擊鈾原子中心時發生的。

collocation: nuclear fission

Nuclear physics is the branch of science that studies the behaviour of particles inside the atom's centre.

核物理是研究原子核內部粒子行為的科學分支。

collocation: nuclear physics

文法句型

nuclear + noun

用法筆記

This is the purely scientific sense, distinct from sense 1 (energy production) and sense 2 (weapons). It describes the properties of the atomic nucleus itself — size, structure, behaviour — rather than the practical applications of nuclear reactions. Terms like 'nuclear fission' and 'nuclear fusion' bridge this sense and sense 1; the context determines which meaning is intended.

常見錯誤

❌The nuclear of the atom contains protons.
✅The nucleus of the atom contains protons.
💡'Nuclear' is an adjective; the noun form is 'nucleus'.

4. forming the most important or essential part around which everything else in a g

4.形容詞C1
釋義

核心的

構成事物最重要或中心的部分

forming the most important or essential part around which everything else in a group or system is organised

例句

The nuclear family of two parents and their children is still common in many parts of the world.

由父母和子女組成的核心家庭在世界上許多地方仍然很常見。

collocation: nuclear family

Reema's plan contained a nuclear idea from which all the other details followed naturally.

Reema 的計畫當中有一個核心理念，其他所有細節都由此衍生出來。

figurative use: nuclear idea

同義詞
  • core

    more common and natural in modern English; 'core issue' is used far more often than 'nuclear issue'

  • central

    the most neutral and widely understood alternative; works in any context

  • key

    emphasises importance rather than central position; good for arguments, ideas, or roles

反義詞
  • peripheral

    describes something on the edges of a system, not at its centre

文法句型

nuclear + noun

用法筆記

This is a figurative, less common use of 'nuclear'. Outside of the fixed phrase 'nuclear family', it is usually clearer to use 'core', 'central', or 'key' instead. Reserve this sense for contexts where the metaphor of a nucleus (something at the centre that holds everything else in place) fits naturally.

常見錯誤

❌This is the nuclear question of the project.' (when meaning 'key' or 'central')
✅This is the core / central question of the project.
💡'Nuclear' in this sense sounds dated or overly metaphorical; 'core' or 'central' is more natural.