ゴミ

• Reading: ごみ
• Romaji: gomi
• Pronunciation: /ɡo.mi/

Meaning

Rubbish; garbage; trash. Waste material to be discarded.

A noun referring to waste or refuse. Japan has a detailed rubbish separation system: 燃えるゴミ (burnable rubbish), 燃えないゴミ (non-burnable rubbish), and 資源ゴミ (recyclables). Rubbish collection days vary by area and type. Written in katakana (ゴミ) in most modern contexts, though hiragana (ごみ) also appears on official signs.

Examples

1. 月曜日と木曜日にゴミを出します。 I take out the garbage on Mondays and Thursdays.
2. 公園にゴミを捨てないでください。 Please don't litter in the park.
3. ゴミの分別をしっかりしましょう。 Let's make sure to sort our garbage properly.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, household, environment

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From the classical Japanese 塵 (gomi/chiri), meaning dust or fine particles. The meaning broadened over time to include all types of waste and refuse. Modern usage strongly favours the katakana spelling.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal