When we do the translation job, we found we have to make a decision about how to choose the actual meaning for one word. Because there are many polysemes both for English and Chinese. Usually one word could belong to many parts of speech and every part of speech has different meaning. So it is necessary for us to select the right meaning according to the context.

  1. We choose the correct meaning according to the part of speech and which does the word belong to. Let us look at some examples:

1). Capacitors are devices, the principal characteristic of which is capacitance.

电容器是以电容为主要参数的元件。

2).The narrow, directive beam is characteristic of radar antennas.

窄定向波束是雷达天线所特有的。

In first sentence, characteristic is the noun, which has the meaning of feature and is the subordinates of the word “of”. And in the second sentence, it is adjective feature of Radar.

3). An electron is an extremely small corpuscle with negative charge which rounds about the nucleus of an atom.

电子是绕着原子核转动带有负电荷的极其微小的粒子。

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4). The earth goes round the sun.

地球环绕太阳运行。

5). Round surface reflector is a key unit for the solar energy device.

弯曲面反射体是太阳能装置的关键元件

6). The tree measures forty inches round

这棵树数围40英寸。

7). This is the whole round of knowledge.

这就是全部的知识范围。

The words of “round” are used as the verbs, preposition, adjectives, adverbs and noun.

  1. We also translate the word according to the content of the actual meaning. Other examples:

1).In the transistor the output current depends upon the input current, hence it is a current-operated device.

在晶体管中，输出电流取决于输入电流，因此，晶体管是电流控制器件。

2).the relay is operated by a current of several milliamperes.

继电器由数毫安电流启动。

3). The hearing aids are operated from batteries.

助听器用电池供电。

  1. The word is also different according to the preposition followed. Take the word “Turn” for an example:

1). The submarine cable here turns to the right.

这儿的海底电缆是向右拐弯的。

2）The factory turns out 100 automobiles in a day

这个工厂每日生产汽车一百辆。

3). The brightness of a spot got by the middle of the tube can be varied by virtue of adjusting the d.c. voltage between grid and cathode.

显像管中央得到的光电亮度可以通过调整栅极和阴极之间的直流电压加以改变。