殺菌剤(さっきんざい)

さっきんざい
noun
disinfectant; germicide; bactericide
1. disinfectant; germicide; bactericide
A chemical agent used to kill bacteria and other microorganisms, used in medical, agricultural, and household contexts.
殺菌剤(さっきんざい)で手(て)を消毒(しょうどく)する。
To disinfect hands with a germicide.
農業(のうぎょう)で殺菌剤(さっきんざい)を使(つか)う。
To use a fungicide in agriculture.
プールの水(みず)には殺菌剤(さっきんざい)として塩素(えんそ)が加(くわ)えられている。
Chlorine is added to pool water as a disinfectant.

A compound of 殺菌(さっきん) (sterilization, killing bacteria) + 剤(ざい) (agent, preparation). Used in both medical/household contexts (disinfectants) and agricultural contexts (fungicides for crops). The suffix 剤(ざい) is productive and appears in many chemical/pharmaceutical compounds.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 殺菌剤(さっきんざい)を散布(さんぷ)する: to spray disinfectant/fungicide
  • 殺菌剤(さっきんざい)を塗(ぬ)る: to apply disinfectant
  • 農薬(のうやく)殺菌剤(さっきんざい): agricultural fungicide

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 消毒剤(しょうどくざい): disinfectant — very similar in household/medical use, but 消毒(しょうどく) implies making something harmless rather than killing organisms
  • 除菌剤(じょきんざい): antibacterial agent — removes bacteria rather than killing them
  • 殺虫剤(さっちゅうざい): insecticide — kills insects rather than bacteria
general
Added 2026.4.7 21:42
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