ごみ

ご

み

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

noun

rubbish; trash; garbage; refuse; litter

usually written using kana alone

General term for waste, discarded items, or litter. Can also be used figuratively for something worthless.

ごみを分ぶん別べつして捨すててください。
Please separate your rubbish before throwing it away.
道みちにごみを捨すてないでください。
Please don't litter on the street.

See all 313 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉にごみを出だすto put out the garbage (for collection)
月げつ曜ようと木もく曜ようにごみを出だします。
We put out the garbage on Mondays and Thursdays.
ごみを分ぶん別べつするto sort trash (for recycling)
日本にほんではごみを分ぶん別べつして出ださなければならない。
In Japan you have to sort your trash before putting it out.
ごみを拾ひろうto pick up litter
公こう園えんでごみを拾ひろうボランティアに参さん加かした。
I took part in a volunteer activity picking up litter in the park.
ごみを捨すてるto throw away trash
ここにごみを捨すてないでください。
Please don't throw trash away here.

Kanji

塵dust, trash, garbage
芥mustard, rape, dust

Related words· 10

くずN2
くず emphasizes scraps or worthless bits left over from something (like paper scraps), while ごみ is the general everyday word for trash or litter.
廃はい棄き物ぶつ
廃棄物 is the formal, legal/industrial term for discarded waste, whereas ごみ is the casual word used in daily life.
汚お物ぶつ
ごみ is general trash or rubbish, while 汚物 specifically refers to filth such as excrement or bodily waste.
ゴミ箱ばこ
ごみ is the trash itself, while ゴミ箱 is the container that holds it.

Show 6 more

紙かみ屑くずN2
紙くず refers specifically to discarded paper scraps, while ごみ is the general word for trash of any kind.
ほこりN3
ごみ refers broadly to trash or rubbish, whereas 埃 specifically means the fine dust that settles on surfaces.
塵ちりN1
ごみ is the everyday, common word for garbage or trash, while 塵 is a more literary or formal term that in other senses also means 'a negligible amount' or 'worldly cares'.
ジャンク
ゴミ is the general everyday word for garbage or trash of any kind, whereas ジャンク specifically implies discarded or low-quality items, often salvageable parts.
瓦が礫れき
ごみ is the ordinary word for garbage or trash in daily life, while 瓦礫 is mainly used for rubble from a collapsed or destroyed structure.
かす
ゴミ is the general word for garbage or trash, while かす specifically implies a leftover residue or the worthless remainder of something.

Don't confuse with

塵ちりN1
塵 written and read ちり means fine dust or dirt, while the same kanji read ごみ means trash or garbage—context and reading distinguish them.

Word family

塵ごみバケツ
garbage can; rubbish bucket
プラスチックごみ
plastic waste; plastic refuse

Written forms

ごみUsage55%
Standard kana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
ゴミUsage41%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling, often used for emphasis or in signage.
塵ごみUsage4%
Kanji form; rarely used in modern writing.
芥ごみ
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain; it may be related to the verb 込む (こむ, 'to be crowded') or an old mimetic root suggesting small, scattered things. The kanji 塵 and 芥 are assigned for their meanings but are not etymologically connected.