If something is carcinogenic, it can cause cancer — or, more carefully, it can raise the chance of cancer. Scientists use this word about chemicals, tobacco smoke, some kinds of radiation, and sometimes about a food or a workplace after long study.

If something is carcinogenic如果某個東西是carcinogenic的, it can cause cancer就表示它可能致癌 — or, more carefully, it can raise the chance of cancer——或者更精確地說，會提高罹癌的機率. Scientists use this word科學家會用這個字 about chemicals, tobacco smoke, some kinds of radiation來形容化學物質、菸草的煙、某些輻射, and sometimes about a food or a workplace after long study有時候經過長期研究後也會用在某種食物或工作環境上.

It is a heavy, formal, medical word: you will meet it on warning labels, in health news, and in science class, not in ordinary chat.

It is a heavy, formal, medical word這是個很正式、沉重的醫學用字: you will meet it你會在 on warning labels警告標示上, in health news健康新聞裡, and in science class還有自然科學課上遇到它, not in ordinary chat平常聊天不會用.

Experts like “likely to cause cancer” because one touch does not usually make someone ill; harm, if it comes, often follows a lot of contact over years. In jokes people stretch it (“this job is carcinogenic”) to mean “this is killing me,” but that is not the real meaning.

Experts like "likely to cause cancer"專家比較喜歡用「可能致癌」這種說法 because one touch does not usually make someone ill因為碰一次通常不會馬上讓人生病; harm, if it comes傷害如果真的發生, often follows a lot of contact over years往往是經年累月大量接觸才造成的. In jokes people stretch it開玩笑時人們會把它誇張使用 ("this job is carcinogenic")（例如「這份工作carcinogenic」） to mean "this is killing me,"意思是「這快要了我的命」, but that is not the real meaning但那不是真正的意思.

A thing that is carcinogenic is called a carcinogen. Do not mix it with cancerous: cancerous describes tissue that already has cancer; carcinogenic describes something that can cause it.

A thing that is carcinogenic is called a carcinogen一個carcinogenic的東西就叫做carcinogen. Do not mix it with cancerous別把它跟cancerous搞混: cancerous describes tissue that already has cancercancerous是形容已經有癌症的組織; carcinogenic describes something that can cause it而carcinogenic是形容會導致癌症的東西.