垃圾桶 (lā jī tǒng)

noun HSK 4

lā jī tǒng

trash can · garbage bin · rubbish bin · waste basket

Meaning

垃圾桶 is the standard word for a container used to collect garbage or waste. It literally combines 垃圾 (trash/garbage) with 桶 (bucket/bin). This is the everyday term used in homes, offices, public spaces, and streets throughout Chinese-speaking regions.

Usage

This is a neutral, universally understood term used in all contexts. In mainland China, you'll often see signs distinguishing 可回收垃圾桶 (recyclable waste bin) and 不可回收垃圾桶 (non-recyclable waste bin). The word is common in everyday conversation when asking where to throw something away.

Examples

01
请把这些废纸扔进垃圾桶里。
Qǐng bǎ zhèxiē fèizhǐ rēng jìn lā jī tǒng lǐ.
Please throw this waste paper into the trash can.
02
厨房的垃圾桶满了，你能去倒一下吗？
Chúfáng de lā jī tǒng mǎn le, nǐ néng qù dào yīxià ma?
The kitchen trash can is full, could you go empty it?

Characters

Measure words

个gè一个垃圾桶
只zhī两只垃圾桶

Common collocations

扔进垃圾桶
rēng jìn lā jī tǒng
throw into the trash can
倒垃圾桶
dào lā jī tǒng
empty the trash can
可回收垃圾桶
kě huí shōu lā jī tǒng
recyclable waste bin
垃圾桶满了
lā jī tǒng mǎn le
the trash can is full

Origin

垃圾 originally referred to earth and dust swept together, eventually meaning any waste or rubbish. 桶 means barrel or cylindrical container. Combined, they create the compound for waste container.