A-Level Biology: Common Root Words and Meanings | A-Level生物：常见专业词根汇总

📚 A-Level Biology: Common Root Words and Meanings | A-Level生物：常见专业词根汇总

Mastering root words is one of the most efficient shortcuts to A-Level Biology success. Nearly all biological terms are assembled from a relatively small set of Greek and Latin prefixes, suffixes, and stems. Once you learn these building blocks, you can decode unfamiliar vocabulary, make logical predictions, and retain information far more easily. This guide compiles the most frequently encountered roots in A-Level Biology, grouped by topic, with clear explanations in both English and Chinese.

掌握词根是通往A-Level生物成功的捷径之一。几乎所有生物学术语都是由数量不多的希腊语和拉丁语前缀、后缀和词干组合而成。一旦你学会了这些基本构件，就能解读陌生词汇，做出合乎逻辑的推测，并更轻松地记忆信息。本指南汇编了A-Level生物中最常见的词根，按主题分组，并提供清晰的中英双语解释。

1. Fundamental Biological Prefixes and Suffixes | 基础生物学词缀

These general-purpose prefixes and suffixes appear across all areas of biology. They indicate size, number, and basic conditions, and forming a solid foundation for more specialised terms.

这些通用前缀和后缀出现在生物学的各个领域。它们指示大小、数量和基本状态，为更专业的术语奠定了坚实基础。

For instance, ‘autotroph’ (auto- self + troph nourishment) describes an organism that synthesises its own food.

例如，’autotroph’（auto- 自身 + troph 营养）指的是能够自行合成食物的生物。

2. Cell Biology Roots | 细胞生物学词根

Cell biology relies heavily on roots that describe cellular components, locations, and transport processes. Mastering these makes organelle functions and membrane trafficking much clearer.

细胞生物学大量使用描述细胞组分、位置和运输过程的词根。掌握这些词根能让细胞器的功能和膜运输过程变得更加清晰。

The term ‘endocytosis’ (endo- inside + cyto- cell + -osis process) neatly describes the process of taking material into a cell by engulfment.

术语’endocytosis’（endo- 内 + cyto- 细胞 + -osis 过程）简洁地描述了通过包裹将物质摄入细胞的过程。

3. Genetics and Molecular Biology Terms | 遗传与分子生物学词汇

Genetics vocabulary is built from roots that describe heredity, change, and the flow of information. Recognising these roots helps distinguish between phenotype, genotype, transcription, and translation.

遗传学词汇由描述遗传、变化和信息流的词根构成。识别这些词根有助于区分表型、基因型、转录和翻译等概念。

Because ‘pheno-‘ means ‘show’ and ‘geno-‘ means ‘kind’, phenotype refers to the observable traits while genotype is the actual genetic makeup.

由于’pheno-‘意为’表现’，’geno-‘意为’种类’，因此phenotype指可观察到的性状，而genotype是实际的基因组成。

4. Ecology and Environmental Roots | 生态与环境词根

Ecological terms are built around roots for habitat, energy, and non-living factors. Understanding these roots makes food chains, nutrient cycles, and abiotic factors intuitive.

生态学术语围绕栖息地、能量和非生物因素的词根构建。理解这些词根能让食物链、养分循环和非生物因素变得直观。