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.
ゴミを捨ててください。
Throw away the rubbish.
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.
ゴミを捨ててください。
Please throw away the rubbish.
このゴミは燃えるゴミですか？
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.
紙屑を拾ってください。
Please pick up the paper rubbish.
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.
塵も積もれば山となる。
Even dust, when piled up, becomes a mountain. (proverb)
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.
そんな話はくだらない。
That story is rubbish.
くだらないことで悩むな。
Don't worry about rubbish like that.
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.
この映画はひどい。
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.
このパソコン、もうだめだ。
This computer is rubbish now.
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'.
ゴミの日は月曜日です。
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.
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.
そんな提案はばかばかしい。
That proposal is rubbish.
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.