garbage

/ˈɡɑːbɪdʒ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡɑːrbɪdʒ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgär-bij/ (ame, mw)

garbage — noun

1. things such as food, paper, and plastic that people no longer want and usually p

1.名詞A2
釋義

things such as food, paper, and plastic that people no longer want and usually put into a bin to be taken away

例句

Adaeze put the vegetable peels and other kitchen garbage into the compost bin.

kitchen garbage: typical compound noun for household waste

Every Tuesday morning, the city collects household garbage from the green bins.

household garbage collocation; passive collection pattern

同義詞
  • waste

    broader term; includes industrial and non-household materials

  • trash

    common US synonym; often refers specifically to dry waste like paper and packaging

  • rubbish

    British English equivalent for general household waste

  • refuse

    formal term for household waste; used in official contexts and waste management

反義詞
  • treasure

    something valuable kept or stored, opposite of discarded material

  • valuables

    items considered worth keeping, not thrown away

用法筆記

Primarily used in American English for all household waste. In British English, 'rubbish' is the more general term, and 'garbage' often refers only to food waste from a kitchen.

常見錯誤

❌I took out the garbages.
✅I took out the garbage.
💡Garbage is uncountable in this sense, so it has no plural form.
❌Please throw it to garbage.
✅Please throw it in the garbage.
💡Use 'in' or 'into' when referring to a bin, not 'to.'

2. ideas, words, or information that are completely wrong, silly, or not worth cons

2.名詞B1
釋義

ideas, words, or information that are completely wrong, silly, or not worth considering

例句

Sayaka told her brother that his plan to build a rocket was garbage.

metaphor: an idea or plan is garbage (= worthless)

The article about miracle cures was full of garbage and false promises.

full of garbage: common dismissive phrase

同義詞
  • nonsense

    the neutral, less informal equivalent; suitable in most contexts

  • rubbish

    British English informal equivalent for false ideas

  • trash

    American English informal equivalent for worthless talk

  • drivel

    stronger disapproval; implies the speaker is being very stupid

反義詞
  • truth

    facts or ideas that are correct and reliable

  • sense

    reasonable and logical thinking

  • wisdom

    knowledge gained from experience that is worth paying attention to

用法筆記

Strongly informal and used mainly in spoken contexts. More forceful than 'nonsense' and less offensive than stronger slang alternatives. Avoid using in formal academic or professional writing.

常見錯誤

❌That is a garbage.
✅That is garbage.
💡You cannot use the indefinite article 'a' before uncountable 'garbage.'

3. a container, usually a bin or can, used for collecting waste that will later be

3.名詞B1
釋義

a container, usually a bin or can, used for collecting waste that will later be taken away

例句

Hoa threw the empty bottle into the garbage by the back door.

into the garbage: metonymy — 'garbage' means 'garbage bin'

The kitchen garbage was full, so Camila tied the bag and carried it outside.

同義詞
  • bin

    short common term for waste bin; used in both US and UK

  • trash can

    American English term specifically for a waste container

  • dustbin

    British English term for a bin for household waste

用法筆記

Common in everyday American speech. 'The garbage' in this sense refers to the container itself ('Throw it in the garbage' means 'Throw it in the garbage can'). This is a case of metonymy, where the word for the contents comes to stand for the container.

常見錯誤

❌I threw the envelope into garbage can.
✅I threw the envelope into the garbage can.
💡When 'garbage' means the container, it takes a determiner and is usually followed by 'can,' 'bin,' or left implicit in context.
❌Could you empty the garbages?
✅Could you empty the garbage?' or 'Could you empty the garbage cans?
💡When 'garbage' means the container, it is still usually singular.