If something is reducible to X, you can treat the whole complicated thing as really just X — you can boil it down and count it as that. Philosophers and scientists use it a lot: ‘the mind is reducible to the brain’ means they claim mind-talk is nothing more than brain-talk. It is a formal, academic adjective, not kitchen-table English.

If something is reducible to X如果一個東西reducible to X, you你 can treat the whole complicated thing as really just X可以把整個複雜的東西當成其實就是X — you你 can boil it down and count it as that把它化約下來，直接算作那個東西. Philosophers and scientists哲學家和科學家 use it a lot很常用這個字: 'the mind is reducible to the brain'像'the mind is reducible to the brain' means they claim意思是他們主張 mind-talk is nothing more than brain-talk談心智其實就只是在談大腦. It它 is a formal, academic adjective是一個正式的學術形容詞, not kitchen-table English不是餐桌上的日常英語.

There is a matching opposite, irreducible, for something you cannot boil down any further.

There is a matching opposite有一個對應的反義詞, irreducible就是irreducible, for something you cannot boil down any further指無法再進一步化約的東西.

People also use reducible in maths for a fraction you can simplify; that is the same ‘make simpler’ idea, but the sense you need here is ‘able to be considered simply as’.

People大家 also use reducible in maths也會在數學裡用reducible for a fraction you can simplify指可以再化簡的分數; that那 is the same 'make simpler' idea跟這裡是同一個「化簡」的概念, but the sense you need here不過你在這裡需要的意思 is 'able to be considered simply as'是「可以被單純視為」.

When someone says a rich thing is reducible to one cause, they may be explaining clearly — or, though actually, throwing too much away.

When someone says a rich thing is reducible to one cause當有人說一件豐富複雜的事reducible to一個原因, they他們 may be explaining clearly可能是在講得很清楚 — or或者, though actually不過事實上, throwing too much away也可能是丟掉了太多東西.