tiệt trùng

Definition

Verb:
- To sterilize: To completely destroy or eliminate all microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, from an object or substance, typically using heat, chemicals, or radiation. This process is crucial in medical, laboratory, and food preparation contexts to prevent infection and spoilage.
Adjective:
- Sterile: Describing a state where all living microorganisms have been eliminated. An object, surface, or environment that is "tiệt trùng" is free from germs and safe for medical procedures or for preserving food.

Usage Examples

Verb:
- Các bác sĩ phải tiệt trùng tất cả dụng cụ phẫu thuật. (Doctors must sterilize all surgical instruments.)
- Sữa được tiệt trùng để loại bỏ vi khuẩn có hại. (Milk is sterilized to remove harmful bacteria.)
Adjective:
- Phòng mổ phải luôn ở trong điều kiện tiệt trùng. (The operating room must always be in a sterile condition.)
- Hãy dùng băng gạc tiệt trùng để băng vết thương. (Please use a sterile gauze to dress the wound.)

Advanced Usage

The term is often used in technical and formal contexts related to healthcare, microbiology, and food safety. It implies a thorough, scientific process, not just general cleaning.

Variants and Related Words

Khử trùng (v): To disinfect. This generally means to reduce microorganisms to a safe level, but not necessarily to eliminate all of them completely, unlike "tiệt trùng."
- Khử trùng tay bằng cồn. (Disinfect hands with alcohol.)
Vô trùng (adj): Aseptic. Describing techniques or environments designed to prevent the introduction of microorganisms.
- Kỹ thuật vô trùng trong phòng thí nghiệm. (Aseptic technique in the laboratory.)

Synonyms

Related Idioms

While "tiệt trùng" itself is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions, the concept is central to the common health-related phrase:
- Giữ vệ sinh sạch sẽ: To maintain cleanliness. This is a broader, more general concept that includes but is not limited to sterilization.

verb

adj