Subatomic means smaller than an atom, or belonging to the inside of an atom. It is a physics word, and it almost always appears in the phrase subatomic particle — electrons, protons, neutrons, quarks, and the rest of the very small things that atoms are built from or break into.

Subatomic meanssubatomic的意思是 smaller than an atom比原子還小， or belonging to the inside of an atom或屬於原子內部的東西。 It is a physics word這是個物理學的詞， and it almost always appears in the phrase subatomic particle幾乎都出現在subatomic particle（次原子粒子）這個詞組裡—— electrons, protons, neutrons, quarks電子、質子、中子、夸克， and the rest of the very small things以及其他非常微小的東西， that atoms are built from or break into原子由這些東西組成，或分裂成這些東西。

For a long time people thought the atom was the smallest possible piece of matter; that is exactly what its Greek name says. Then physicists found pieces inside it, and needed a word for them — hence subatomic. So the word carries a small joke in its history: it names the parts of the thing that was supposed to have no parts.

For a long time很長一段時間， people thought人們以為 the atom was the smallest possible piece of matter原子是物質可能存在的最小單位； that is exactly what its Greek name says這正是它希臘字源名字所說的意思。 Then physicists found後來物理學家發現 pieces inside it原子裡面還有更小的部分， and needed a word for them需要一個字來稱呼它們—— hence subatomic於是就有了subatomic這個字。 So the word carries a small joke in its history所以這個字的歷史帶著個小玩笑： it names它命名的， the parts正是那些部分， of the thing that was supposed to have no parts屬於本來應該沒有部分的那個東西。

Outside science, English speakers use it loosely for anything unbelievably tiny, usually with a smile: "the portions were subatomic", "my chances are subatomic". That is informal exaggeration, not a real measurement.

Outside science在科學領域之外， English speakers use it loosely英語使用者會鬆散地用這個字， for anything unbelievably tiny來形容任何小得不可思議的東西， usually with a smile通常帶著點笑意： the portions were subatomic「份量小到跟次原子一樣」， my chances are subatomic「我的機會小到跟次原子一樣」。 That is informal exaggeration那是非正式的誇張說法， not a real measurement不是真正的測量。

The word is an adjective only — there is no verb or common noun form — and it is used before nouns (subatomic physics, subatomic scale) or after be (the differences are subatomic, in the joking sense).

The word is an adjective only這個字只有形容詞用法—— there is no verb or common noun form沒有動詞或普通名詞的形式—— and it is used before nouns用在名詞前面 (subatomic physics, subatomic scale)（subatomic physics次原子物理、subatomic scale次原子尺度）， or after be或放在be動詞後面 (the differences are subatomic, in the joking sense)（the differences are subatomic差異小到跟次原子一樣，開玩笑的用法）。