substance
Definitions
A particular kind of physical matter
物质
The most important or essential part; real meaning
实质，要旨，实际内容
(a substance) a drug, especially an illegal one
（管制/非法）药物
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedsub- (under) + st (stand) + -ance = 'that which stands under.' Latin substantia named what 'stands under' a thing's surface qualities — its underlying essence. From there grew both the philosophical sense (the substance of an argument = what really underlies it) and the physical sense (a substance = the stuff something is made of).
Root st still carries 376 more wordsWhy It Means This
substance literally pictures what stands underneath. Strip away a thing's surface — its color, shape, words — and the substance is what remains standing under it all: its essential matter or meaning. That single image links the chemistry-lab 'substance' (the underlying stuff) and 'an argument with substance' (real content underneath the rhetoric). 'Substance abuse' uses the matter sense for drugs.
Common Collocations
- 1.chemical substance化学物质
- 2.controlled substance管制药物
- 3.lack substance缺乏实质
- 4.substance abuse药物滥用
Example Sentences
- 1.
Water is a substance made of hydrogen and oxygen.
- 2.
His speech was long but lacked substance.
- 3.
He was arrested for possessing a banned substance.