Translation guide
The English word 'rubbish' can mean physical waste/trash, or it can be used figuratively to dismiss something as nonsense or of poor quality. This guide covers both literal and figurative uses, with natural Japanese equivalents.
Throw away the rubbish.
That's rubbish! (nonsense)
Casual; くだらない is also common.
Referring to discarded items, household waste, litter, or refuse.
The most common and general word for trash, garbage, or rubbish. Used for household waste, litter, and anything thrown away.
Please throw away the rubbish.
Is this rubbish burnable?
Refers to waste, scraps, or bits of something. Often used for small fragments, paper scraps, or leftover pieces. Can also mean 'dregs' or 'refuse' in a more specific sense.
Means dust or tiny particles of rubbish. Often used in literary or formal contexts, or in compounds like 塵取り (dustpan). Not common for general trash.
Dismissing an idea, statement, or thing as nonsense, stupid, or of no value.
An adjective meaning 'trivial', 'worthless', 'nonsensical'. Very common for calling something rubbish in the figurative sense. Can be used for ideas, talk, or things.
Means 'nonsense', 'rubbish', 'bullshit'. Used for statements that are completely untrue or random. Stronger than くだらない.
Literally 'shit', used as an interjection or to describe something as crap/rubbish. Very casual and vulgar.
Vulgar; avoid in polite conversation.
Describing an object, performance, or result as being of very low quality or value.
Means 'terrible', 'awful', 'rubbish'. Commonly used to describe poor quality, bad weather, or a bad situation.
This movie is rubbish.
Literally 'the lowest', meaning 'the worst', 'rubbish'. Stronger than ひどい.
Means 'no good', 'useless', 'rubbish'. Very common in casual speech.
ゴミ is the everyday word for trash. 屑 refers to scraps or waste material, often in compounds like 紙屑 (paper scraps). 塵 is dust or tiny particles, rarely used alone for 'rubbish'.
Rubbish collection day is Monday.
Directly translating 'That's rubbish!' as それはゴミだ sounds unnatural. Use くだらない, でたらめ, or ひどい depending on context.
Please pick up the paper rubbish.
Even dust, when piled up, becomes a mountain. (proverb)
Don't worry about rubbish like that.
彼の言うことはでたらめだ。
What he says is rubbish.
Means 'absurd', 'ridiculous', 'rubbish'. Emphasizes the foolishness of something.
That proposal is rubbish.
くそ！また負けた。
Rubbish! I lost again.
あのレストランのサービスは最低だった。
The service at that restaurant was rubbish.
This computer is rubbish now.