廃棄

はいき

disposal, abandon, discarding

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"廃棄" (はいき) refers to the act of discarding, disposing of, or abandoning something, often waste or unwanted items. It is commonly used in formal or official contexts such as business, manufacturing, or legal documents.

Common Contexts

You will often see "廃棄" used when talking about waste management (廃棄物), document disposal, or product expiration. It implies a deliberate and proper process of getting rid of something.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 廃棄物 (はいきぶつ): waste material, garbage
  • 廃棄期限 (はいききげん): expiration date (for disposal)
  • 廃棄処分 (はいきしょぶん): disposal or scrapping

Register and Nuance

"廃棄" is a formal noun and is often used in written or official speech rather than casual conversation. When speaking casually, people might use 捨てる (すてる) instead.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "廃棄" with simple "捨てる" (to throw away). "廃棄" implies a more official or systematic disposal, not just casually throwing something away. Use "廃棄" when referring to regulated or formal disposal processes.

Example Sentences

このこうじょうではまいにちたいりょうのはいきぶつがでる。

This factory produces a large amount of waste every day.

ふるいしょるいはてきせつにはいきしてください。

Please dispose of the old documents properly.

せいひんのはいききげんがすぎたため、すべてはいきした。

Because the product's expiration date passed, everything was discarded.