Ilungu lekhemikhali ngalinye linikwa uphawu okanye isimboli eyodwa eyenza okokuba lahluke kuzo zonke ezinye iikhemikhali. Impawu okanye iisimboli yekhemikhali zisetyenziswa emhlabeni jikelele. Oko kuthetha okokuba, akukhathaliseki nokokuba uthetha oluphi ulwimi, akukho kubhideka malunga nokokuba ithetha ukuthini na le nto iluphawu okanye isimboli. Iimpawu okanye isimboli yekhemikhali kumalungu ayo zivela kumagama azo angesiNgesi okanye isiLatini. Umzekelo, i-carbon inophawu okanye isimboli yekhemikhali engu'C', kanti yona i-sodium inesimboli yekhemikhali engu'Na', ithiywa ngegama lesiLatini elithi natrium. I-Tungsten yona ibizwa ngokuba yi-'W' ithiywe ngegama lesiJamani elithi, wolfram. I-'Au' yisimboli yegolide kwaye ivela kwigama lesiLatini elimele igolide nelaziwa ngokuba yi-aurum. Enye isimboli evela kwisiLatini yi-'Ag'. Eli lilungu lekhemikhali eyi-silver kwaye livela kwisiLatini esingu-argentum. Isimboli ye-Lead, yi-'Pb', ivela kwigama lesiLatini elithi plumbum nakwigama lesiNgesi elithi plumber lakhutshwa kweli gama kuba imibhobho yayisayakwenziwa ngesiciko. Ezinye iisimboli zeekhemikhali zaathiywa ngoosoziwayo, ezo ke zezifana ne-einsteinium, eyathiywa ngoAlbert Einstein.