'实验室' (shí yàn shì) literally means 'experiment room' — combining 实 (shí, 'real' or 'actual'), 验 (yàn, 'to test' or 'to verify'), and 室 (shì, 'room'). Together, it refers to a dedicated space equipped for scientific experiments, research, teaching, or technical testing. It’s commonly found in universities, hospitals, tech companies, and research institutes.

The word is neutral in register and widely used across formal and academic contexts. While the characters individually carry broader meanings — like 实 in 'practical' or 验 in 'verification' — in this compound, they function as a fixed noun with no internal grammatical variation. You’ll often see it modified by adjectives (e.g., 化学实验室 'chemistry laboratory') or preceded by location words (e.g., 学校的实验室 'the school’s laboratory'). It does not imply any specific field unless qualified — the type of lab must be specified separately.