Japanese word

腐敗

Pronunciation

Romajifuhai

Meaning

  • nounspoilage

Example

果物の腐敗を防ぐため、冷蔵庫に入れます。kudamono no fu hai o fuse gu ta me rei zō ko ni i re ma su

I put fruit in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage.

Illustration for 腐敗 (spoilage)

More examples

肉の腐敗は、見た目だけでは判断できないことがあります。niku no fu hai wa mi ta me da ke de wa han dan de ki na i ko to ga a ri ma su

The spoilage of meat cannot always be judged by its appearance alone.

Core concept

Refers to something becoming damaged or unsound over time, whether through physical decay, food spoilage, or moral corruption.

Common phrases

  • 腐敗を防ぐfu hai o fuse gu

    prevent spoilage

  • 腐敗が始まるfu hai ga haji ma ru

    spoilage begins

  • 腐敗の兆候fu hai no chō kō

    signs of spoilage

  • 腐敗を招くfu hai o mane ku

    cause spoilage

Similar words

傷みitami: A condition in which food loses freshness and becomes unfit to eat through decay.
変質henshitsu: A change in food quality or properties that makes it unsuitable for use or consumption.
劣化rekka: A decline in quality caused by age, storage, or other conditions, which may not involve decay.

Definition in Japanese

食べ物や物質が腐って変質したり、社会や組織が不正に傾いたりして、もとの状態を失うこと。ta be mono ya bus shitsu ga kusa tte hen shitsu shi ta ri sha kai ya so shiki ga fu sei ni katamu i ta ri shi te mo to no jō tai o ushina u ko to

Word origin

腐敗 (fuhai) combines 腐 (fu, "decay") and 敗 (hai, "fail or be ruined"), linking physical rotting with a broader loss of soundness.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese food and public-life contexts, 腐敗 (fuhai) covers both spoilage and corruption, whereas English usually signals the political sense more strongly with corruption.

Other meanings

  • decaynoun
  • corruptionnoun

Opposites

  • 鮮度sendofreshnessnoun

Related words

  • 腐敗するfuhaisuruspoilverb
  • 腐敗度fuhaidodegree of spoilagenoun

Word lists with this word