A calque is a linguistic term that refers to a word or phrase that is translated directly from one language to another, maintaining the original structure. For example, the English term "skyscraper" is a calque of the French "gratte-ciel," which literally means "scrape-sky." Calques often occur when languages borrow concepts but prefer to create their own terms rather than adopting foreign words. Calques can be found in various languages and are a way to enrich vocabulary while preserving cultural context. They are particularly common in fields like technology and science, where new concepts emerge. An example is the term "superman," which is a calque of the German "Übermensch," used in discussions about philosophy and literature, especially in relation to Friedrich Nietzsche.