A centrifuge is a machine that spins a container very fast so that heavier liquid and any solids are thrown to the outer edge or the bottom, while lighter liquid stays closer to the middle. Hospitals and labs use it to separate blood into parts, or to pull cells out of a liquid; some factories use much bigger ones.

A centrifuge離心機 is a machine that spins a container very fast是一種讓容器高速旋轉的機器, so that heavier liquid and any solids are thrown to the outer edge or the bottom讓比較重的液體和固體被甩到外緣或底部, while lighter liquid stays closer to the middle而比較輕的液體則留在中間附近。Hospitals and labs醫院和實驗室 use it to separate blood into parts用它把血液分成幾個部分, or to pull cells out of a liquid或是從液體裡把細胞分離出來; some factories use much bigger ones有些工廠會用大很多的離心機。

It is a technical word — biology class, hospital talk, science news — not a night-market word.

It is a technical word這是一個專業術語 — biology class, hospital talk, science news生物課、醫院用語、科學新聞 — not a night-market word不是夜市裡會聽到的字。

Though actually, the same idea is why a salad spinner dries leaves: spin, and the water flies out. A centrifuge is simply far stronger and built for tubes of liquid.

Though actually不過其實, the same idea is why a salad spinner dries leaves同樣的原理也是沙拉脫水器能把菜葉弄乾的原因: spin, and the water flies out一轉，水就飛出去了。A centrifuge離心機 is simply far stronger只是力道強得多, and built for tubes of liquid而且是專門為裝液體的試管設計的。

There is also a verb, to centrifuge something (to put it through this machine), but the first meaning to learn is the machine itself. The pieces of the word say “flee the centre,” which is a fair picture of what the heavy stuff does.

There is also a verb也有一個動詞用法, to centrifuge something (to put it through this machine)「to centrifuge something」，也就是把某樣東西放進這台機器處理, but the first meaning to learn is the machine itself但最先要學的意思是這台機器本身。The pieces of the word say "flee the centre,"這個字的組成部分意思是「逃離中心」 which is a fair picture of what the heavy stuff does這其實滿貼切地描繪出重的東西會做的事。