Japanese word

ゴミ

Pronunciation

Romajigomi

Meaning

  • nountrash

Example

このゴミを捨てます。ko no go mi o su te ma su

I throw away this trash.

Illustration for ゴミ (trash)

More examples

教室にゴミがあります。kyō shitsu ni go mi ga a ri ma su

There is trash in the classroom.

燃えるゴミはこの袋に入れます。mo e ru go mi wa ko no fukuro ni i re ma su

I put burnable trash in this bag.

Core concept

Names discarded things when they are treated as waste instead of useful possessions.

Common phrases

  • ゴミを出すgo mi o da su

    take out the trash

  • 燃えるゴミmo e ru go mi

    burnable trash

  • ゴミ袋go mi fukuro

    trash bag

Similar words

廃棄物haikibutsu: Material classified or handled as waste in official or technical contexts.
くずkuzu: Unwanted scraps, fragments, or remains from a larger thing.
不用品fuyōhin: An unwanted possession that may still be usable.
塵chiri: Discarded waste that remains scattered rather than placed in a container.

Definition in Japanese

日常生活で不要になり、処分される物。nichi jō sei katsu de fu yō ni na ri sho bun sa re ru mono

Word origin

The origin of ゴミ (gomi, "trash") is uncertain, and the word is commonly written in katakana in modern Japanese.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often use trash for household waste, but litter focuses on the same kind of waste when it is scattered or left where it should not be.

Other meanings

  • litternoun

Word lists with this word