Translation guide
The concept of contamination covers physical pollution, impurity, and tainting, as well as abstract corruption of ideas or data. Japanese uses different words depending on whether the focus is on environmental pollution, microbial contamination, impurity in a substance, or metaphorical corruption.
To refer to contamination of the natural environment by harmful substances.
The most common and general term for environmental contamination or pollution. Used for air, water, soil, and radioactive contamination.
大気汚染が深刻な問題になっている。
Air contamination has become a serious problem.
この川の水質汚染は工場排水が原因だ。
The contamination of this river is caused by factory wastewater.
Refers specifically to pollution or environmental damage caused by human activity, often with legal or social implications. Commonly used in contexts like industrial pollution affecting public health.
四大公害病は日本の高度経済成長期に発生した。
The four major pollution-related diseases occurred during Japan's period of high economic growth.
To refer to contamination by bacteria, viruses, chemicals, or other harmful agents in food, medical settings, or on surfaces.
Also used for microbial or chemical contamination. In medical and food safety contexts, it is the standard term.
食中毒の原因は細菌による食品の汚染だった。
The cause of the food poisoning was contamination of the food by bacteria.
手術器具の汚染を防ぐために滅菌処理を行う。
We sterilize surgical instruments to prevent contamination.
To refer to unwanted substances mixed into something, making it impure.
Means mixing in of foreign matter or impurities. Often used for physical objects or substances accidentally included.
製品に異物が混入していたため回収された。
The product was recalled because foreign matter had contaminated it.
Refers to impurities or contaminants as a noun. Often used in chemistry or when describing the quality of a substance.
To refer to the contamination of something non-physical, such as ideas, culture, data, or language, by undesirable elements.
Can be used metaphorically for abstract contamination, such as ideological or cultural pollution.
彼は若者の精神汚染を懸念している。
He is concerned about the contamination of young people's minds.
Also used for abstract mixing, such as errors or false data being mixed in.
Means corruption or depravity, often moral. Can be used for the contamination of character or values.
汚染 (おせん) is the general term for contamination, often implying harm or pollution. 混入 (こんにゅう) specifically means mixing in of foreign matter, and does not always imply harm (e.g., a prize mixed into a box of cereal). For harmful contamination, 汚染 is more common.
While 汚染 covers many meanings, it is not used for contamination in the sense of 'cross-contamination of ideas' in casual speech. For data errors, 混入 is more natural. For moral corruption, consider 堕落 or 腐敗.
Loanword from English, used mainly in technical or laboratory settings. Often shortened to コンタミ.
実験中にサンプルがコンタミしてしまった。
The sample got contaminated during the experiment.
この水には不純物が含まれている。
This water contains impurities.
データに誤りが混入していた。
Errors had contaminated the data.
The corruption of power contaminates the entire organization.