Tungsten is a metal — one of the basic materials the world is made of, so it has a symbol on the chemistry chart: W. What makes it special is that it is very hard, very heavy, and it takes an enormous amount of heat to melt it — more than any other metal.

Tungsten is a metalTungsten（鎢）是一種金屬 one of the basic materials the world is made of是構成這個世界的基本材料之一 so it has a symbol on the chemistry chart所以它在化學表上有個符號 W就是 W。What makes it special它特別的地方在於 is that it is very hard, very heavy它非常硬、非常重 and it takes an enormous amount of heat to melt it而且要非常高的熱度才能把它熔化 more than any other metal比任何其他金屬都高。

That last part is why you meet it in light bulbs. The old kind of bulb, the round glass one that gets hot, has a tiny thread of wire inside; electricity makes that wire so hot that it glows and gives light. Almost any other metal would simply melt and break. Tungsten does not, so tungsten is what the wire is made of.

That last part is why you meet it in light bulbs就是因為最後這一點，你才會在燈泡裡遇到它。The old kind of bulb舊式的燈泡 the round glass one that gets hot就是那種會發熱的圓形玻璃燈泡 has a tiny thread of wire inside裡面有一條細細的燈絲 electricity makes that wire so hot電流會把那條線加熱到 that it glows and gives light發光發亮。Almost any other metal would simply melt and break幾乎任何其他金屬都會直接熔化斷裂。Tungsten does not鎢不會 so tungsten is what the wire is made of所以燈絲就是用鎢做的。

It is also mixed into steel to make the steel harder — cutting tools, drill bits, things that have to bite into other metal.

It is also mixed into steel它也會被混進鋼裡 to make the steel harder讓鋼變得更硬 cutting tools像是切削工具 drill bits鑽頭 things that have to bite into other metal這些需要咬進其他金屬的東西。

And because it is heavy for its size, you now see it in rings and watches, sold as a metal that will not scratch.

And because it is heavy for its size而且因為它以它的體積來說很重 you now see it in rings and watches現在你會在戒指和手錶上看到它 sold as a metal that will not scratch賣點是這種金屬不容易刮傷。

The word is a normal noun; you say 'tungsten' with no 'a' and no plural, the way you say 'water' or 'gold'.

The word is a normal noun這個字是一般名詞 you say 'tungsten' with no 'a' and no plural你會直接說「tungsten」，不加 a，也沒有複數 the way you say 'water' or 'gold'就像你說「water」或「gold」那樣。

In science books you may also see the name 'wolfram' for the same metal, which is where the letter W comes from — the W does not come from the word tungsten at all.

In science books在科學書裡 you may also see the name 'wolfram' for the same metal你可能會看到同一種金屬還有另一個名字「wolfram」 which is where the letter W comes from而這就是字母 W 的來源 the W does not come from the word tungsten at allW 完全不是從 tungsten 這個字來的。