酸素（さんそ、sanso）
- oxygen

The Japanese word 酸素 （酸素） means "oxygen." 酸素 is a chemical element essential for respiration in most living organisms. It is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas.

⚫︎酸素は生命に不可欠です。 Translation: Oxygen is essential for life. ⚫︎水は水素と酸素からできています。 Translation: Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen. ⚫︎宇宙飛行士は酸素ボンベを携帯します。 Translation: Astronauts carry oxygen tanks.

⚫︎You would use 酸素 （酸素） when talking about oxygen in scientific contexts, everyday conversation, or when discussing breathing and respiration. ⚫︎It's a common word, so it can be used in many situations.

⚫︎The word 酸素 （酸素） is typically written using kanji. ⚫︎Reading: さんそ (in hiragana) ⚫︎There are no variations in okurigana for this word.

⚫︎There are no direct synonyms for 酸素 （酸素） in Japanese, as it refers to a specific chemical element. ⚫︎However, in certain contexts, you might use a more descriptive phrase, such as 空気に含まれる酸素 (air oxygen).

⚫︎There are no direct antonyms for the word 酸素 （酸素）, as it is a specific substance.

火災現場では、酸素が不足することがあります。 ・Translation: In a fire scene, oxygen can be insufficient. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the lack of oxygen in a fire.

高山病は、酸素不足が原因で起こることがあります。 ・Translation: Mountain sickness can sometimes be caused by a lack of oxygen. ・Explanation: This sentence explains that high-altitude sickness is caused by a lack of oxygen.

The word 酸素 （酸素） is a compound word: ⚫︎The first character 酸 （酸） means "acid". ⚫︎The second character 素 （素） means "element" or "basic". ⚫︎The name was created in Japanese during the Meiji period, when Japanese scholars were translating Western scientific terms. They named it "acid-forming element" because, at the time, oxygen was believed to be a necessary component of acids.