Pharmacology is the science of drugs in living bodies. It asks what a medicine does, where it goes, how the body breaks it down, and what happens when two drugs meet.

Pharmacology藥理學 is是 the science of drugs in living bodies研究藥物在活體內作用的科學。It它 asks問的是 what a medicine does藥物做了什麼, where it goes它去了哪裡, how the body breaks it down身體怎麼把它分解掉, and what happens when two drugs meet以及兩種藥碰在一起時會發生什麼事。

It is a university and hospital word, not a street word.

It它 is是 a university and hospital word大學和醫院用的字, not a street word不是日常街頭用語。

Though actually, people file it next to pharmacy as if they were the same subject. They are neighbours, not copies. Pharmacy is the craft and the shop: making the dose right and giving it out.

Though actually不過其實, people大家 file it next to pharmacy把它和pharmacy(藥學)歸在一起, as if they were the same subject好像是同一個科目。They他們 are是 neighbours鄰居, not copies不是同一個東西。Pharmacy藥學 is是 the craft and the shop那門手藝和那間店: making the dose right把劑量配對 and giving it out再交給病人。

Pharmacology is the “why” behind the dose — why this tablet eases pain, why grapefruit juice can change another tablet’s strength, why one person gets sleepy and another does not.

Pharmacology藥理學 is是 the "why" behind the dose劑量背後的「為什麼」 — why this tablet eases pain為什麼這顆藥能止痛, why grapefruit juice can change another tablet's strength為什麼葡萄柚汁會改變另一顆藥的藥效, why one person gets sleepy and another does not為什麼有人吃了會想睡、有人不會。

The old Greek piece at the front, pharmakon, could mean a medicine or a poison; the same thing that makes you better can make you worse if the amount is wrong. That double meaning still sits inside the science.

The old Greek piece at the front最前面那個古希臘字根, pharmakon叫pharmakon, could mean a medicine or a poison可以指藥、也可以指毒; the same thing that makes you better同一個讓你變好的東西, if the amount is wrong如果劑量錯了, can make you worse也可能讓你變糟。That double meaning這個雙重意義 still sits inside the science依然存在於這門科學之中。

Do not stretch the word to mean “anything about medicine.” Toxicology, the making of pills, and clinical work all touch this field, but pharmacology’s home question stays: what does this drug do inside the body, and how?

Do not stretch the word to mean "anything about medicine."不要把這個詞硬拉成「跟醫學有關的任何事」 Toxicology, the making of pills, and clinical work毒理學、做藥丸、臨床工作 all touch this field都會碰到這個領域, but但 pharmacology's home question stays藥理學的核心問題不變: what does this drug do inside the body, and how這個藥在體內做了什麼、怎麼做的。