Translation guide
In Japanese, 'kitchen waste' is most commonly expressed as 生ごみ (namagomi), referring to organic, wet garbage from food preparation. Other terms exist for specific contexts like composting or waste oil.
kitchen waste (general food scraps)
The most common term for wet, organic waste from cooking and food preparation, typically collected separately from other trash.
The standard, everyday word for kitchen waste, especially food scraps that are wet and prone to rotting. Used in household and municipal contexts.
Please throw away the kitchen waste every day.
I started composting to reduce kitchen waste.
A formal or technical term for kitchen refuse, often used in official documents, waste management, or legal contexts. Not used in everyday conversation.
Construction of a kitchen waste treatment facility is planned.
Specifically referring to used cooking oil that is discarded after frying or cooking.
The standard term for waste oil, especially used cooking oil. Often collected for recycling into soap or biofuel.
Please don't pour waste oil down the sink.
This area collects waste cooking oil.
Kitchen waste specifically intended for composting, often vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, etc.
Borrowed from English, refers to compost or the act of composting. Often used in phrases like コンポストに入れる (put in the compost).
I put vegetable scraps in the compost.
Refers to compost or manure. More agricultural and less common in daily conversation about kitchen waste.
In Japan, household waste is typically separated into burnable (燃えるごみ), non-burnable (燃えないごみ), and recyclables. Kitchen waste (生ごみ) is usually classified as burnable garbage, but some municipalities require it to be drained and wrapped separately.
While ゴミ means 'trash' or 'garbage' in general, 生ごみ specifically refers to wet, organic kitchen waste. Using just ゴミ might not convey the specific type of waste.
Turn kitchen waste into compost.