くず

く

ず

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

waste; scrap; garbage; dregs

usually written using kana alone

Refers to physical refuse, leftovers, or worthless remnants. Can also be used metaphorically for something of no value.

工こう場じょうから出でるくずをリサイクルする。
We recycle the waste from the factory.
紙かみくずをゴミ箱ばこに捨すててください。
Please throw the paper scraps in the trash can.

2

scum; piece of trash; loser

usually written using kana alone

Strongly derogatory term for a contemptible person; used as an insult. Often written in katakana for emphasis.

あんなクズとはもう関かかわりたくない。
I don't want anything to do with that piece of trash anymore.
彼かれは人ひとを平へい気きで裏うら切ぎる、本ほん当とうのくずだ。
He betrays people without a second thought; he's real scum.

See all 64 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉をするとくずが出でるscraps/waste are produced when doing something
野や菜さいを切きると野や菜さいくずがたくさん出でる。
Cutting up vegetables produces a lot of scraps.
人にん間げんのくずthe scum of humanity (a fixed insult)
彼かれは人ひとを裏うら切ぎって金かねを奪うばう、人にん間げんのくずだ。
He betrays people and steals their money—he's scum.
〈人ひと〉はくずだsomeone is trash/scum (as an insult)
あんな約やく束そくを破やぶるなんて、お前まえはくずだ。
Breaking a promise like that—you're trash.

Expressions

屑くず入いれ屑くず出だしgarbage in, garbage out

Kanji

屑rubbish, junk, trash

Related words

ごみN5sense 1
ゴミ is the neutral, everyday word for trash or garbage, while くず emphasizes worthlessness and is often used figuratively or as an insult.
ろくでなし sense 2
ろくでなし describes a good-for-nothing, lazy or worthless person in a more resigned tone, while くず is a harsher, more contemptuous insult calling someone scum.
かす sense 1
カス refers to dregs or residue left after something useful has been extracted, while くず is broader, covering any kind of scrap, waste, or worthless remnant.
下げ種す
屑 is a casual, contemptuous term for a worthless person, close in force to 下種 but less specifically about crudeness of character.

Don't confuse with

葛くず
葛 and 屑 are pronounced identically (くず), but 葛 names the kudzu plant while 屑 means scraps, waste, or a worthless person.
ぼろN2
屑 refers to any scrap or waste material (paper, wood, etc.), while ぼろ refers specifically to old, worn-out cloth.

Word family· 20

星ほし屑くず
countless stars; starry sky · stardust
藻も屑くず
scraps of seaweed
おが屑くず
sawdust
くず屋や
junk dealer; rag-and-bone man; garbage collector
屑くず物もの
trash; junk; garbage · worthless product; defective goods

Show 8 more

屑くず籠かご
wastebasket; wastepaper basket
屑くず糸いと
waste thread; scrap yarn
屑くず繭まゆ
waste cocoon; bad cocoon; damaged cocoon
金かな屑くず
scrap metal
かんな屑くず
wood shavings; planing debris
鋸のこ屑くず
sawdust
麻あさ屑くず
oakum; tow; hemp waste
ごみ屑くず
trash; garbage; junk

See all 20 in Explore →

Written forms

くずUsage46%
Usually written in kana; the kanji 屑 is also used but less common in everyday writing.
クズUsage29%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling, often used for emphasis or in informal contexts.
屑くずUsage25%
Kanji form; recognized but kana is more common.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain; the kanji 屑 has been used historically for fragments and waste, and the reading くず is native Japanese.