General term for solid residue left after extracting liquid, such as coffee grounds, tea leaves, or sediment in a liquid.
Please throw away the coffee grounds.
lees; sake lees
Specifically the solid residue left after pressing sake or other fermented beverages. Often written as 粕 in this context.
leftovers; by-product; remains
Figurative use for something left over after the useful part has been taken, often implying it is of little value.
worthless thing; junk; dregs (of society)
Derogatory term for something or someone considered worthless, the lowest of the low. Sense 5 is a specific figurative extension to people.
I removed the coffee grounds before drinking it.
Tea dregs have collected at the bottom of the cup.
Sake lees are sometimes used in cooking.
This data is merely a by-product of the research.
Throw away this junk.
That guy is the scum of the earth.
In hanafuda, I ended up collecting only 1-point cards.
Tea leaves have accumulated at the bottom of the teapot.
Someone who does that is the scum of society.
酒粕 specifically names the solid lees left over from pressing sake, whereas かす is the broader word that can refer to sake lees or many other kinds of residue.
屑 means scraps or trash and is used for discarded bits of material or worthless people, much like かす's figurative sense of dregs or junk.
ゴミ is the general word for garbage or trash, while かす specifically implies a leftover residue or the worthless remainder of something.
かす is the everyday word for dregs or lees, while 残渣 is a formal or technical term used in scientific and industrial contexts.
The word is usually written in kana. Kanji forms exist but are less common.
Katakana spelling is sometimes used for emphasis or in informal writing.
Often used specifically for sake lees or brewing sediment.
Rare kanji form for dregs or sediment.
Rare kanji form for dregs or sediment.
The origin is uncertain. It may be related to the verb かす (to lend) in the sense of something left behind, but this is speculative.