radiation

radiation — noun

1. harmful energy in the form of rays or particles that is released by radioactive

1.名詞B2
釋義

harmful energy in the form of rays or particles that is released by radioactive substances and can damage living cells or cause illness

例句

Minho checked his dosimeter for radiation exposure every day at the storage facility.

collocation: radiation exposure

Kwame's doctor explained that high doses of radiation can increase the risk of cancer.

collocation: doses of radiation

同義詞
  • radioactivity

    refers to the property or process of a substance emitting radiation, not the radiation itself — a material has radioactivity

  • fallout

    specifically the radioactive particles that fall to the ground after a nuclear explosion

  • contamination

    means radioactive material has spread to an area or object — distinct from the energy waves themselves

文法句型

radiation + from + [source]

[high/low/dangerous] levels of radiation

exposure to radiation

用法筆記

Commonly uncountable. Frequently used with modifiers that indicate the amount or danger: 'high levels of', 'dangerous', 'harmful', 'low-dose'. The source is typically a radioactive substance, nuclear reactor, or nuclear accident. Distinguished from sense 2 by the implication of danger and the nuclear/radioactive origin.

常見錯誤

❌The sun sends nuclear radiation to the earth.
✅The sun sends thermal radiation to the earth.
💡Nuclear radiation comes specifically from radioactive materials and nuclear reactions, not from the sun's normal fusion process.
❌I bought a device that removes radiation from the room.
✅I bought a device that measures radiation levels in the room.
💡Radiation cannot be physically removed or filtered from air like dust or gas.

2. energy that moves as electromagnetic waves — including sunlight, heat from a fir

2.名詞B2
釋義

energy that moves as electromagnetic waves — including sunlight, heat from a fire, and radio signals — through air, empty space, or solid materials

例句

Alessia could feel the sun's radiation warming her skin even on a cold winter morning.

solar radiation / heat transfer

Joshua learned in science class that infrared radiation is invisible to the human eye.

infrared radiation — invisible electromagnetic waves

同義詞
  • electromagnetic waves

    more technical term for the same phenomenon, covering the entire spectrum from radio to gamma rays

  • thermal emission

    specifically refers to heat radiation from warm objects, a subset of this sense

  • radiant energy

    formal physics term for energy carried by electromagnetic waves

文法句型

[type] + radiation

radiation + from + [source]

用法筆記

Used in both scientific and everyday contexts. The type of radiation is often specified by a modifier: 'solar radiation', 'thermal radiation', 'ultraviolet radiation', 'microwave radiation'. Unlike sense 1, this meaning is not inherently dangerous — it simply describes how energy moves. Many types (visible light, radio waves) are harmless.

常見錯誤

❌Microwaves are a type of nuclear radiation.
✅Microwaves are a type of electromagnetic radiation.
💡Microwaves are non-ionising radiation, which is completely different from nuclear/radioactive radiation.

3. the use of controlled radioactive rays, delivered by a machine or implanted mate

3.名詞B2
釋義

the use of controlled radioactive rays, delivered by a machine or implanted material, to destroy cancer cells or shrink tumours as part of medical care

例句

Mira went to the hospital for radiation three times a week to treat her tumour.

collocation: go for radiation / receive radiation

The doctors used targeted radiation to destroy the cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

collocation: targeted radiation / radiation treatment

同義詞
  • radiotherapy

    the formal medical term for radiation treatment, used interchangeably in clinical contexts

  • radiation therapy

    the full compound noun; more common in patient-facing communication

  • irradiation

    technical term for exposing tissue to radiation, but rarely used in patient contexts

反義詞
  • chemotherapy

    uses drugs rather than radiation to treat cancer

文法句型

radiation + therapy / treatment

undergo / receive / have radiation

[number] + rounds / sessions of radiation

用法筆記

Often shortened to 'radiotherapy'. The full forms 'radiation therapy' and 'radiation treatment' are common in patient-facing contexts. Patients typically receive radiation in daily sessions over several weeks. This sense is always planned and controlled — distinguished from sense 1, where radiation is accidental and dangerous.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor gave me a radiation medicine to take at home.
✅The doctor recommended radiation therapy at the hospital three times a week.
💡Radiation is not a pill or liquid medicine; it is a treatment delivered by a machine in a clinical setting.