molecule
molecule — 名詞
1. the tiniest piece of a chemical material that still behaves like that material,
分子
兩個以上原子構成的化學最小單位
the tiniest piece of a chemical material that still behaves like that material, made when several atoms become linked by chemical bonds
A water molecule has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom bonded together.
水分子由兩個氫原子和一個氧原子鍵結而成。
pattern: a [substance] molecule + has/consists of
Selim's teacher drew a diagram showing how each salt molecule forms a repeating pattern.
Selim 的老師畫了一張圖，說明每個鹽分子如何形成重複的排列方式。
pattern: each + [substance] + molecule
When sugar dissolves in water, each molecule separates and spreads out evenly.
糖在水中溶解時，每個分子會分開並均勻地散開。
Élise learned how a DNA molecule stores the instructions for making proteins in the body.
Élise 學到一個 DNA 分子如何儲存製造蛋白質的指令。
The oxygen molecule that animals breathe is formed when two oxygen atoms join tightly together.
動物呼吸的氧氣分子是由兩個氧原子緊密結合而成。
- compound
a specific type of molecule made of two or more different elements joined together, whereas molecule can refer to any bonded group of atoms
文法句型
a molecule of [substance]
[substance] molecule
用法筆記
In technical chemistry, a single atom of a noble gas (such as helium) is not considered a molecule — molecules always involve two or more atoms bonded together.
常見錯誤
2. a very small piece or amount of a substance, especially when you want to emphasi
微粒；微量
極少量或極小顆粒
a very small piece or amount of a substance, especially when you want to emphasize that there is extremely little or none at all
The technician wiped the lens until not a molecule of dust remained on the surface.
技師擦拭鏡片，直到表面沒有一粒灰塵殘留。
negative construction: not a molecule of [substance]
Hoa noticed tiny molecules of grease floating on the surface of the soup.
Hoa 看見湯麵上漂浮著細小的油脂微粒。
non-technical use with everyday material
After scrubbing the pan for twenty minutes, every molecule of burnt food was finally gone.
刷了鍋子二十分鐘後，每一粒燒焦的食物殘渣終於都不見了。
Valentina checked the table for any molecule of sand left after sweeping the floor.
Valentina 檢查桌子，確認掃過地板後沒有殘留任何一粒沙子。
Eve scraped every molecule of old paint off the door before painting it again.
Eve 在重新上漆前，把門上每一粒舊油漆刮得乾乾淨淨。
- particle
a more general word for any tiny piece of matter; does not carry the chemical meaning of two or more bonded atoms
- speck
even smaller and more informal than molecule in this sense; typically used for visible tiny bits (e.g., a speck of dust)
- bit
the most everyday word; less precise but natural in conversation
文法句型
not a molecule of [substance]
a molecule of [substance/material]
用法筆記
This sense is non-technical and informal. It is different from sense 1 because it does not refer to a specific chemical structure — it simply means a very tiny bit of something. It appears often in negative statements for extra emphasis.