Welcome to Songrim vocabulary! A metal object may look simple, but its material story includes composition, shape and behaviour. These 100 English words help you understand steel descriptions and explain why hardness, toughness and stiffness answer different questions. Begin with a familiar object, then explore what a material test can tell you.
Songrim is a city on the Taedong River in North Hwanghae Province with a documented steel-industry association. This guide uses that background for general material vocabulary. The entries cover steel categories, product shapes, mechanical properties and records. A diagram or fictional test report gives the words a clear place in a sentence.
This Songrim travel vocabulary list contains meanings, original examples and composition exercises. Alloy records, microstructure pictures and test results are general or fictional learning examples. They do not establish current local production, the grade of a particular product or plant operating methods. The goal is to read material language accurately and enjoy the connections between its terms.
Top 100 Vocabulary Words for Songrim
steel, iron, alloy, carbon steel, stainless steel, alloy steel, mild steel, cast iron, wrought iron, ferrous
non-ferrous, alloying element, chromium, nickel, manganese, silicon, molybdenum, vanadium, microstructure, grain boundary
grain size, phase, ferrite, austenite, martensite, pearlite, cementite, heat treatment, annealing, normalising
quenching, tempering, case hardening, through hardening, stress relief, residual stress, ductility, malleability, toughness, brittleness
hardness, stiffness, elasticity, plastic deformation, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, elongation, reduction of area, Young's modulus, stress
strain, fatigue, creep, fracture, fracture surface, notch, stress concentration, impact test, Charpy test, hardness test
Brinell hardness, Rockwell hardness, Vickers hardness, tensile test, gauge length, test coupon, material certificate, heat number, steel grade, chemical composition
mechanical property, rolling, hot rolling, cold rolling, billet, bloom, steel slab, steel coil, steel sheet, steel plate
strip steel, wire rod, section steel, I-section, angle section, channel section, galvanising, coating thickness, mill scale, pickling
passivation, oxidation, rust, recyclability, scrap steel, electric arc furnace, blast furnace, basic oxygen furnace, slag, material selection
Word Meanings and Example Sentences
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| steel | an iron-based alloy containing controlled carbon and other elements | Steel is a material category in the classroom chart. |
| iron | a metallic chemical element | Iron differs from the alloy named steel. |
| alloy | a metallic material combining multiple elements | The alloy card lists its constituent elements. |
| carbon steel | steel primarily classified by carbon content and related composition | Carbon steel is compared with other steel categories. |
| stainless steel | steel containing enough chromium for characteristic corrosion resistance | Stainless steel is not a promise against every kind of damage. |
| alloy steel | steel with specified alloying additions for particular properties | Alloy steel appears on the materials worksheet. |
| mild steel | a common name for low-carbon steel | Mild steel is introduced as a general material term. |
| cast iron | an iron-carbon alloy with more carbon than typical steel | Cast iron is distinguished from steel in the lesson. |
| wrought iron | a historical worked iron material with characteristic slag inclusions | Wrought iron appears in the historical material comparison. |
| ferrous | containing or relating to iron | Ferrous identifies the iron-based material group. |
| non-ferrous | not based primarily on iron | Non-ferrous metals form another group in the chart. |
| alloying element | an element added to affect an alloy's properties | The alloying element has a stated purpose in the example. |
| chromium | a chemical element used in many corrosion-resistant alloys | Chromium is named on the composition card. |
| nickel | a metallic chemical element used in several alloys | Nickel is one constituent in the fictional alloy record. |
| manganese | a chemical element used in steelmaking and alloys | Manganese appears in the composition reading. |
| silicon | a chemical element used in various materials and alloys | Silicon has a different role in each specified material. |
| molybdenum | a metallic element used in certain alloys | Molybdenum is included in the example's constituent list. |
| vanadium | a metallic element used in some alloy steels | Vanadium is an alloying example in the glossary. |
| microstructure | a material's structure at microscopic scale | Microstructure requires more detail than a distant photograph. |
| grain boundary | the interface between neighbouring crystal grains | The grain boundary separates two regions in the sketch. |
| grain size | a measure of the dimensions of crystal grains | Grain size needs a stated measurement basis. |
| phase | a distinct material region with characteristic structure and properties | Phase has a materials-science meaning in this guide. |
| ferrite | an iron-rich phase with a body-centred cubic crystal structure | Ferrite is labelled in the simplified microstructure lesson. |
| austenite | an iron-based crystal phase with a face-centred cubic structure | Austenite appears in the phase comparison. |
| martensite | a structure formed by a diffusionless transformation, often during rapid cooling of steel | Martensite is named in the general steel reading. |
| pearlite | a layered structure of ferrite and cementite | Pearlite has alternating layers in the teaching image. |
| cementite | an iron carbide constituent in many steels | Cementite is distinguished from the building material cement. |
| heat treatment | controlled heating and cooling to alter material properties | Heat treatment is described without an operating recipe. |
| annealing | a heat treatment often used to soften or alter structure | Annealing appears in the process vocabulary chart. |
| normalising | a steel heat treatment involving heating and air cooling | Normalising is a process name in the general lesson. |
| quenching | rapid cooling in a heat-treatment process | Quenching is separated from ordinary room-temperature storage. |
| tempering | heat treatment adjusting properties of hardened material | Tempering follows hardening in the simplified explanation. |
| case hardening | treatment making an outer layer harder | Case hardening distinguishes surface and interior behaviour. |
| through hardening | hardening extending through a component's section | Through hardening contrasts with an outer hard layer. |
| stress relief | treatment reducing internal residual stresses | Stress relief has a material meaning in this passage. |
| residual stress | stress remaining within a material without external load | Residual stress is shown in a general conceptual diagram. |
| ductility | ability to deform plastically under tensile loading | Ductility concerns deformation before fracture. |
| malleability | ability to deform under compressive shaping | Malleability is compared with ductility in the lesson. |
| toughness | ability to absorb energy before fracture under stated conditions | Toughness differs from surface hardness. |
| brittleness | tendency to fracture with little plastic deformation | Brittleness describes behaviour in the fictional test example. |
| hardness | resistance to local indentation or scratching under a stated test | Hardness needs its test method identified. |
| stiffness | resistance to elastic deformation | Stiffness describes deflection under a stated load. |
| elasticity | ability to recover shape after a load is removed | Elasticity is illustrated with a returning shape. |
| plastic deformation | permanent shape change after loading | Plastic deformation remains after the model load is removed. |
| yield strength | stress associated with the onset of defined plastic deformation | Yield strength has a stated test definition. |
| ultimate tensile strength | the maximum engineering stress in a tensile test | Ultimate tensile strength is marked on the fictional graph. |
| elongation | increase in length, often reported after a tensile test | Elongation is stated with a defined gauge length. |
| reduction of area | decrease in cross-sectional area during a tensile test | Reduction of area concerns the test specimen's section. |
| Young's modulus | the ratio of stress to strain in linear elastic behaviour | Young's modulus helps describe stiffness in the lesson. |
| stress | force per unit area in a material | Stress includes an area basis in the calculation. |
| strain | relative deformation compared with an original dimension | Strain is a ratio in the classroom example. |
| fatigue | progressive damage from repeated loading | Fatigue concerns load cycles rather than tired workers. |
| creep | time-dependent deformation under sustained load | Creep needs specified time and temperature conditions. |
| fracture | the breaking of a material | Fracture appears at the end of the fictional test. |
| fracture surface | the surface exposed when a material breaks | The fracture surface is shown in a teaching photograph. |
| notch | a local indentation or cut in a component | The notch is labelled on the specimen drawing. |
| stress concentration | a local increase in stress near a feature | Stress concentration is illustrated around an opening. |
| impact test | a test assessing behaviour under sudden loading | The impact test is described at a general level. |
| Charpy test | a specified impact test using a notched specimen | The Charpy test has a defined specimen and method. |
| hardness test | a test measuring resistance to specified local deformation | The hardness test gives a result on a stated scale. |
| Brinell hardness | hardness assessed using a specified ball indentation test | Brinell hardness appears with its scale designation. |
| Rockwell hardness | hardness assessed using a specified indentation-depth method | Rockwell hardness requires the relevant scale. |
| Vickers hardness | hardness assessed using a diamond-pyramid indentation | Vickers hardness is named in the test comparison. |
| tensile test | a test pulling a specimen to assess material behaviour | The tensile test produces the fictional stress-strain graph. |
| gauge length | the reference length used for strain or elongation measurement | Gauge length is marked on the specimen. |
| test coupon | a sample prepared for material testing | The test coupon belongs to a fictional batch. |
| material certificate | a document reporting specified material information | The material certificate accompanies the classroom sample record. |
| heat number | an identifier for a production heat of metal | The heat number connects the sample with its fictional origin. |
| steel grade | a designation defining a steel's specified characteristics | Steel grade is more precise than the word metal. |
| chemical composition | the constituents and their amounts in a material | Chemical composition is recorded as percentages in the example. |
| mechanical property | a characteristic describing response to forces | Mechanical property differs from the material's colour. |
| rolling | shaping material by passing it between rollers | Rolling produces the illustrated flat product. |
| hot rolling | rolling at an elevated material temperature | Hot rolling is a category in the process chart. |
| cold rolling | rolling below the recrystallisation temperature | Cold rolling has a technical temperature-relative meaning. |
| billet | a semi-finished metal product with a relatively small section | The billet is drawn before further shaping. |
| bloom | a larger semi-finished metal product | The bloom is compared with a billet in the chart. |
| steel slab | a broad semi-finished steel product | The steel slab leads to flat products in the diagram. |
| steel coil | a rolled length of steel wound into a coil | The steel coil has a circular stored form. |
| steel sheet | a relatively thin flat steel product | The steel sheet lies beside the thicker plate. |
| steel plate | a relatively thick flat steel product | The steel plate is used as a vocabulary example. |
| strip steel | a narrow flat rolled steel product | Strip steel appears as a long narrow band. |
| wire rod | a rolled metal product used for further wire processing | Wire rod is wound in the teaching illustration. |
| section steel | steel shaped into a defined structural cross-section | Section steel has a labelled profile in the drawing. |
| I-section | a structural profile resembling the letter I | The I-section is shown in cross-section. |
| angle section | a structural profile with two angled legs | The angle section resembles an L in the sketch. |
| channel section | a structural profile with a channel-like shape | The channel section has an open side. |
| galvanising | applying a zinc coating for protection | Galvanising changes the surface layer of the model product. |
| coating thickness | the measured thickness of a surface coating | Coating thickness needs a unit and method. |
| mill scale | oxide formed on metal during hot processing | Mill scale is a surface material in the glossary. |
| pickling | removing surface oxides with an appropriate chemical process | Pickling has an industrial meaning in this lesson. |
| passivation | formation or treatment of a protective surface condition | Passivation is explained as a surface process. |
| oxidation | a chemical change involving electron loss, often with oxygen | Oxidation has a chemical meaning in the material passage. |
| rust | iron corrosion products commonly formed with oxygen and moisture | Rust appears on the fictional exposed iron sample. |
| recyclability | the ability to be recovered for further material use | Recyclability differs from an actual recycling rate. |
| scrap steel | discarded steel collected as a material input | Scrap steel enters the general recycling diagram. |
| electric arc furnace | a furnace using electric arcs to heat metal | The electric arc furnace is a process category. |
| blast furnace | a furnace used to produce iron from suitable raw materials | The blast furnace appears in the general ironmaking chart. |
| basic oxygen furnace | a steelmaking furnace using oxygen to refine molten metal | The basic oxygen furnace follows ironmaking in the model. |
| slag | a non-metallic product of certain metallurgical processes | Slag is distinguished from the desired metal product. |
| material selection | choosing material for stated requirements | Material selection compares properties and intended uses. |
Why These Words Are Useful in Songrim
The city's steel association makes material properties a useful learning theme. Begin with composition: iron is an element, while steel is an iron-based alloy. Add product form, such as sheet or coil. Finally, explain a relevant property and the evidence used to assess it. This sequence keeps a paragraph organised. A polished surface alone does not identify a steel grade, and a single test result does not answer every question about performance.
Understand the Words Before Memorising Them
Separate the material from its shape
Steel grade concerns specified material characteristics. Steel sheet, plate and coil concern product form. The same broad material family can appear in different shapes, and similar shapes can contain different grades. Use a simple table with material in one column and form in another. Then write a sentence connecting them without treating the shape as proof of composition.
Use one property for one question
Hardness concerns resistance to a specified local deformation or scratching test. Stiffness concerns elastic deformation under load. Toughness concerns energy absorption before fracture under stated conditions. These properties are related to material behaviour but cannot be replaced by the general word strong. Practise describing the test question before naming the property. That gives the reader a clear reason for the term you choose.
Read the test beside its method
A material certificate or inspection record can include composition and mechanical results. To interpret a result, identify the specimen, method, unit or scale and relevant conditions. An unfamiliar number becomes more approachable when you know the question it answers. Keep a conclusion within that question's scope rather than treating one certificate entry as proof of every possible use.
Commonly Confused Words
iron / steel
Iron is a chemical element. Steel is an iron-based alloy with controlled composition.
hardness / toughness
Hardness concerns resistance to a specified local deformation or scratching test. Toughness concerns energy absorption before fracture under stated conditions.
elasticity / plastic deformation
Elasticity concerns recovery of shape after unloading. Plastic deformation leaves a permanent change.
recyclability / recycling rate
Recyclability concerns whether a material can be recovered for further use. Recycling rate concerns how much is actually recovered within a stated scope.
A Short Conversation
Learner: The sample is hard. Does that mean it must be tough?
Teacher: What does hardness measure in the stated test?
Learner: Resistance to local deformation or scratching.
Teacher: And what question does toughness address?
Learner: Energy absorbed before fracture under defined conditions.
Teacher: Good. Precise property words give the explanation much more meaning.
Turn the Vocabulary into a Paragraph
Model paragraph for learning: Songrim's steel-industry association encouraged me to explore material vocabulary. In a fictional record, a steel grade is paired with composition information and a labelled test coupon. The product drawing shows a coil, while the test report describes a mechanical property using its method and scale. I distinguish hardness from toughness and product form from material identity. These distinctions help me explain the record without inventing the properties of a current product from the city.
Choose three useful words from the paragraph. Explain why each fits its sentence. Then write a fresh paragraph using a clearly identified source, diagram or imagined setting. Keep each sentence focused on one idea so the description remains easy to follow.
Learn, Practise and Check
Choose ten words connected to one situation. Read the meanings, cover the column and explain each word in your own language. Then write a new example without copying the original. If two words feel similar, sketch their relationship or write a sentence explaining the difference. Return later and check whether you can still recognise and use them correctly.
Name the category
Which is a chemical element: iron or steel?
Answer or checking guide: Iron. Steel is an iron-based alloy.
Read fictional strain
A classroom specimen increases from 100 to 101 millimetres in length. What is its relative length change?
Answer or checking guide: 0.01, or 1%. The exercise illustrates a ratio without establishing a local material property.
Choose the property
Which term concerns energy absorption before fracture under specified conditions?
Answer or checking guide: Toughness. Hardness and stiffness answer different questions.
Repair the surface claim
Rewrite: 'The metal is shiny, so its steel grade and toughness are known.'
Answer or checking guide: 'The metal has a shiny appearance; its grade and toughness need appropriate material information and test evidence.'
What If a Word Still Feels Difficult?
Find the specific gap. Can you explain the object or situation? Do you understand the difference from a nearby word? Can you use it in a grammatical sentence? Repair that step before adding more words. A small labelled diagram, a short conversation or a familiar object often makes a technical term easier to remember. Check the repair with a different example rather than repeating the same answer.
Questions About Songrim Vocabulary
Does phase have the same meaning in every subject?
No. Here it has a materials-science meaning: a region with characteristic structure and properties. Read technical words within their subject context.
Does stainless steel resist every kind of damage?
No. Its characteristic corrosion resistance depends on composition and conditions; it is not a universal performance guarantee.
Where should a beginner start?
Learn iron, steel, alloy, sheet, coil, hardness and toughness. Explain their relationships before adding microstructure terms.
Continue Learning with eduKate
Vocabulary Lists Control Tower helps you choose another learning setting. Education OS connects understanding, practice and checking. Browse more city guides in the World City Directory. North Korea vocabulary hub: choose another city or a connected learning route. Continue with Chongjin vocabulary and Tanchon vocabulary. For a wider comparison, open Tuas Industry Hub OS to connect material properties with production and maintenance.
Chongjin vocabulary: Connect steel properties with the language of metalworking and material descriptions.
Explore the earlier North Korea city guides: Pyongyang · Kaesong · Nampo · Wonsan · Chongjin · Hamhung · Sinuiju · Rason · Sariwon · Haeju · Hyesan · Pyongsong · Kanggye · Anju · Kaechon · Sunchon.
Sources and Further Reading
Songrim: geographical and steel-industry background
World Steel Association: steel glossary
World Steel Association: steel background
Current UK official North Korea travel advice. Reference checked on 5 October 2026: the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel. Consult current advice applicable to your nationality separately from vocabulary learning.