Word Detail

The Japanese word 揮発 (kihatsu) means "volatilization" or "evaporation." It refers to the process by which a substance changes from a liquid or solid state to a gaseous state, typically due to an increase in temperature or a decrease in pressure. The substance "volatilizes," meaning it turns into a vapor. This process is often associated with substances that easily evaporate or sublime. The term can also be used metaphorically to describe something that quickly disappears or is dissipated. The term implies the substance’s ability to escape or transform into a vapor form.

⚫︎ガソリンは揮発性が高い。 Translation: Gasoline is highly volatile. ⚫︎アルコールが揮発して、匂いが消えた。 Translation: The alcohol evaporated, and the smell disappeared. ⚫︎揮発性有機化合物（VOC） Translation: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

This word is used in scientific contexts, particularly in chemistry and environmental science. It can also be used in everyday situations to describe the evaporation of liquids like alcohol or the dissipation of smells. You would use 揮発 when discussing the physical process of evaporation or when describing a substance's tendency to evaporate. The term is quite formal and less common in casual conversation, but relevant when explaining scientific concepts or phenomena. 揮発（verb) is often used in the passive form, with phrases like “〜が揮発する” (something volatizes).

The word is written in kanji as 揮発 and pronounced きはつ (kihatsu). There are no other standard ways to write this word. The okurigana (hiragana attached to kanji) is not applicable because it is only the kanji itself.

⚫︎ 蒸発 (jōhatsu): evaporation ⚫︎ 気化 (kika): vaporization ⚫︎ 昇華 (shōka): sublimation (direct transition from solid to gas)

⚫︎ 凝縮 (gyōshuku): condensation ⚫︎ 沈殿 (chinden): precipitation ⚫︎ 吸着 (kyūchaku): adsorption

この溶剤は揮発しやすいので、密閉容器に入れてください。 ・Translation: This solvent is prone to volatilization, so please store it in a sealed container. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the tendency of a solvent to evaporate quickly and the need for proper storage to prevent it.

夏の暑さで、道路のアスファルトから油分が揮発しやすくなる。 ・Translation: Due to the summer heat, the oil from the road asphalt tends to evaporate. ・Explanation: This sentence explains how heat causes the volatile components in asphalt to evaporate.

揮 (ki) means "to wave, to brandish, to command," while 発 (hatsu) means "to start, to depart, to emit." Together, 揮発 conveys the idea of something "emitting" or "releasing" itself, reflecting the substance's transition from a condensed state to a gaseous one. The combination suggests a sudden or forceful release, like the material is being "commanded" to evaporate.