Research, experiments, inventions and the machines that came out of them.
Scientific vocabulary in Chinese is built from parts a learner already knows, which makes it easier than it looks: 科学 with 家 is a scientist, 机器 with 人 a robot. Where English says “science” for both, Chinese splits the field in two: 科学 is knowledge about the world, 技术 the know-how of making things, and 科技 joins the two the way “science and technology” does in a news report.
The words
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Verb (8)
研究to research, to study; researchVerb3
她在大学里研究中国的植物。She does research on Chinese plants at the university.
发明to invent; inventionVerb4
你知道是谁发明了电话吗？Do you know who invented the telephone?
Inventing makes something new; finding what was already there is 发现.
发射to launch (a rocket, a satellite)Verb4
火箭发射的时候，大家都在看直播。When the rocket was launched, everyone was watching it live.
探索to exploreVerb4
人类一直在探索太空的秘密。Humankind has always been exploring the secrets of space.
开发to develop (a product, software)Verb4
我哥哥在一家公司开发游戏。My elder brother develops games at a company.
Developing a country or an economy is 发展; 开发 is making something new or opening up land.
观察to observeVerb4
孩子们每天观察小树长得怎么样。Every day the children watch how the little tree is growing.
测试to test; testVerb4
新车上路以前要经过很多测试。A new car has to pass many tests before it goes on the road.
操作to operate (a machine)Verb4
新员工要先学会怎么操作机器。New staff first have to learn how to operate the machines.