(méi) - Enzyme — a protein that acts as a

Tone 2

méi | 14 strokes | radical:

· méi

Enzyme — a protein that acts as a catalyst in biochemical reactions, speeding up metabolic processes.

Enzyme — a protein that acts as a

Usage highlights

Enzyme catalysisDigestive enzymeEnzyme activityProtease enzymeAmylase enzymeEnzyme preparation

Synonyms

  • 酵素ferment; enzyme (alternative term)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Digestive enzymes break down food (消化酶).
  • This reaction requires a specific enzyme (酶催化).
  • Enzyme activity is affected by temperature (酶活性).
  • Protease is an enzyme that digests proteins (蛋白酶).

Collocations

  • Enzyme catalysis(酶催化)
  • Digestive enzyme(消化酶)
  • Enzyme activity(酶活性)
  • Protease enzyme(蛋白酶)
  • Amylase enzyme(淀粉酶)
  • Enzyme preparation(酶制剂)

Idioms

  • Lock and key model of enzyme action(酶的锁钥学说)
  • Enzyme-substrate complex(酶-底物复合物)
  • Allosteric enzyme regulation(酶的变构调节)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 酶 was created specifically for biochemistry, combining the 'wine' radical 酉 with 每, indicating its role in fermentation processes.
  • Enzymes are fundamental to traditional fermentation techniques used in Chinese cuisine (e.g., soy sauce, rice wine).
  • Modern Chinese biochemistry has contributed significantly to enzyme research and industrial applications.

FAQ