If a germ is pathogenic, it can make you ill. That is the whole job of the word: not 'dirty', not 'strong', not 'from a hospital' — able to cause disease in a body.

If a germ is如果一種病菌是 pathogenicpathogenic（會致病的）， it can make you ill.它就會讓你生病。That is the whole job of the word:這個字的整個意思就只是這樣： not 'dirty', not 'strong', not 'from a hospital'不是「髒」、不是「強」、不是「從醫院來的」 — able to cause disease in a body.──而是能在身體裡引發疾病。

Doctors and scientists use it about bacteria, viruses, and sometimes fungi. They do not use it about people, and you will almost never hear it in ordinary chat; it belongs to labs, textbooks, and medical reports.

Doctors and scientists醫生和科學家 use it about會用這個字來說 bacteria, viruses, and sometimes fungi.細菌、病毒，有時候也說真菌。They do not use it about people,他們不會用這個字來說人， and you will almost never hear it in ordinary chat;你在日常聊天裡也幾乎不會聽到； it belongs to labs, textbooks, and medical reports.它是屬於實驗室、教科書和醫療報告的字。

The messy bit students miss is that most tiny living things on and in us are not pathogenic. Many bacteria in the gut help us. So the word is a sorting hat: this one causes disease; that one does not.

The messy bit students miss is that學生容易漏掉的複雜之處是： most tiny living things on and in us我們身上和體內大多數的微小生物 are not pathogenic.並不是 pathogenic（會致病的）。Many bacteria in the gut腸道裡的許多細菌 help us.其實是在幫助我們。So the word is a sorting hat:所以這個字就像分類帽： this one causes disease;這個會致病； that one does not.那個不會。

The matching noun is pathogen — the germ itself. Pathogenic is the describing word you put in front of it.

The matching noun is對應的名詞是 pathogenpathogen（病原體） — the germ itself.──也就是那個病菌本身。Pathogenic ispathogenic 是 you put in front of it你放在它前面 the describing word.的形容詞。