To decontaminate a place, a person, or an object is to remove a dangerous substance from it, so that people can go near it again. The danger might be radiation, a chemical, a poison, or a germ that should not be there.

To decontaminate a place, a person, or an object對一個地方、一個人或一件物品進行 decontaminate, is to remove a dangerous substance from it就是把危險物質從裡面移除, so that people can go near it again讓人可以再次靠近它。The danger might be radiation, a chemical, a poison, or a germ that should not be there這個危險可能是輻射、化學物質、毒物，或是不該出現在那裡的病菌。

Workers often wear special clothes and follow a careful plan. This is not the same as ordinary cleaning, which is about dirt you can see.

Workers often wear special clothes工作人員通常會穿特殊服裝 and follow a careful plan並依照謹慎的計畫進行。This is not the same as ordinary cleaning這跟一般的打掃不一樣, which is about dirt you can see打掃處理的是看得見的髒污。

Though actually, news reports sometimes say decontaminate when they only mean 'wash thoroughly.' The careful meaning is stronger: take away contamination that can harm you.

Though actually不過事實上, news reports sometimes say decontaminate新聞報導有時候會用 decontaminate 這個字, when they only mean 'wash thoroughly.'其實只是想說「徹底清洗」。The careful meaning is stronger這個字比較嚴謹的意思其實更強烈: take away contamination that can harm you把可能傷害你的污染物移除掉。

You decontaminate after a spill, a leak, or an accident, not after spilling soup on the table.

You decontaminate after a spill, a leak, or an accident你會在液體外洩、洩漏或發生意外之後進行 decontaminate, not after spilling soup on the table而不是在餐桌上打翻湯之後。