廃棄物

• Reading: はいきぶつ
• Romaji: haikibutsu
• Kanji breakdown: 廃 (hai) — abolish, discard; 棄 (ki) — abandon, throw away; 物 (butsu) — thing, object
• Pronunciation: /hai.ki.bɯ.tsɯ/

Meaning

Waste matter; garbage; trash. Materials discarded after use, especially in industrial or legal contexts.

A formal noun for waste and refuse, used more in legal, industrial, and environmental contexts than everyday speech (where ごみ or ゴミ is preferred). Key compounds include 産業廃棄物 (sangyou haikibutsu, industrial waste, often abbreviated as 産廃/sanpai) and 廃棄物処理 (haikibutsu shori, waste disposal). An important term for environmental law and regulations in Japan.

Examples

1. 廃棄物の不法投棄は厳しく罰せられる。 Illegal dumping of waste is severely punished.
2. 産業廃棄物の処理方法を見直す必要がある。 We need to reconsider how industrial waste is handled.
3. この地域では廃棄物の分別が義務づけられている。 Waste sorting is mandatory in this area.

Usage Guide

Context: environment, law, industry

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 廃 (hai, abolish/discard) + 棄 (ki, abandon/throw away) + 物 (butsu, thing/object). Literally 'discarded and abandoned things.'

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal