Translation guide
How to express the act of discarding or disposing of something in Japanese, from casual tossing to formal disposal.
To throw something away, get rid of it, or dispose of it.
The most common and versatile verb for 'throw away'. Used for physical objects, abstract things (like ideas), and can be casual or neutral.
Please throw away this trash.
I threw away old magazines.
More formal, often used for proper disposal, getting rid of large items, or legal/official contexts.
Dispose of bulky waste.
Please dispose of the documents properly.
Formal term for discarding, often used in business, manufacturing, or legal contexts (e.g., waste disposal).
Dispose of industrial waste.
To throw something away with a motion, like tossing into a bin.
To discard non-physical things like chances, pride, or love.
Same verb as physical discarding, but used metaphorically. Very common.
Don't throw away your chance.
I threw away my pride and apologized.
Means 'to waste' rather than literally throw away. Used for opportunities, time, money.
I wasted a golden opportunity.
To throw away things you no longer need, often during cleaning or decluttering.
Means 'to tidy up' or 'put away', but often implies throwing away unnecessary items as part of the process.
When I tidied up my room, I threw away things I didn't need.
A trendy term for decluttering and discarding possessions to simplify life. Popularized by Marie Kondo's method.
I decluttered and feel refreshed.
The English 'throw away' is not the same as 'throw' (投げる, なげる). 'Throw away' means discard, while 'throw' means propel through the air. Use 捨てる for discarding.
When talking about throwing away trash in Japan, you might need to specify the type: 燃えるゴミ (burnable), 燃えないゴミ (non-burnable), 資源ゴミ (recyclable). The verb 捨てる is still used.
タバコのポイ捨てはやめましょう。
Let's stop littering cigarette butts.