Chirukanerujeko (Chirungu: Photosynthesis) kana kuti rukanerujeko mashoko anoreva chiitiko chinogadzira chikafu mumashizha emiti, maruva nemiriwo. Rukanerujeko maitiro anoshandiswa nemiti nezvimwe zvipenyu kushandura simba rezuva kuita simba remakemikari iro, kuburikidza nekufema kwemaseru, rinogona kuburitswa gare gare kuti riwedzere kuita kwehutachiona. Iri simba remakemikari rakachengetwa mumamorekuru ehydrohydrate, akadai sechokera (sugar) nesitashi (starch), ayo akagadzirwa kubva kukabhoni dhayokisaidhi nemvura - ndokusaka zita rekuti rukanerujeko, kubva muChigiriki phōs (φῶς), "chiedza", uye sunthesis (σύνθεσις), zvichereva kuti "tichiisa pamwechete ". Muzviitiko zvakawanda, okisijeni inosunungurwa sechigadzirwa chemarara. Zvizhinji zvezvirimwa, algae, uye cyanobacteria zvinoita rukanerujeko; zvipuka zvakadaro zvinonzi photoautotrophs. Rukanerujeko inonyanya kuita basa rekugadzira nekuchengetedza okisijeni yemhepo yepasi, uye inopa yakawanda yesimba rinodiwa kuhupenyu hwepasi. Izwi rokuti kuruka, (put together, string together) rinoreva kukochekedza zvinhu zvakasiyana ndiro riri kuturikira synthesis. Izwi rokuti rujeko richiturikira photo inoreva light. VaDigo vanoti kutunga kana tunga (to put together, to arrange, to compose). Herero vanoti okutunga (fabrication). VaHerero vanoti tunga (build; fabricate). VaHerero vanoti omutunge (builder; mason) kureva kuvaka.