trash can; rubbish bin
HSK level
垃圾桶 is written with 25 strokes (垃: 8, 圾: 6, 桶: 11). The animation replays automatically.
垃圾桶 (lājītǒng) is the noun for a trash can, rubbish bin, or wastebasket — literally 'garbage bucket,' from 垃圾 (garbage) + 桶 (bucket/barrel).
It refers to the container itself, whether a small office bin, a kitchen bin, or a large street receptacle. A key pronunciation note distinguishes the two standards: in mainland Mandarin the word is lājītǒng, but in Taiwan 垃圾 is read lèsè, so Taiwanese speakers say lèsè tǒng — same characters, very different sound.
Unlike English, which splits 'trash can' (indoors) from 'dustbin' or 'garbage can' by region, Chinese uses the single 垃圾桶 across contexts. With China's mandatory waste-sorting rules, learners will also meet compounds like 分类垃圾桶 (sorted bins) and labels such as 可回收 (recyclable) and 厨余 (kitchen waste) on the bins themselves.
Note: Everyday neutral word. In Taiwan 垃圾 is pronounced lèsè, so the same word is heard as lèsè tǒng there.
Character by character
Memory hook: 垃圾 (garbage) goes into a 桶 (bucket) → the garbage bucket → trash can.
请把纸扔进垃圾桶。
Qǐng bǎ zhǐ rēng jìn lājītǒng.
Please throw the paper into the trash can.
neutral
垃圾桶满了，谁去倒一下？
Lājītǒng mǎn le, shéi qù dào yíxià?
The bin is full — who'll go empty it?
spoken
小区里有四个分类垃圾桶。
Xiǎoqū lǐ yǒu sì gè fēnlèi lājītǒng.
There are four sorting bins in the residential complex.
neutral
垃圾桶就在门口的右边。
Lājītǒng jiù zài ménkǒu de yòubiān.
The trash can is right of the doorway.
neutral
垃圾箱 uses 箱 (box) and tends to mean a larger, box-shaped or outdoor container. 垃圾桶 is the everyday round bin; 垃圾箱 is bigger or more institutional.
垃圾 alone means 'garbage/trash' (the stuff), and figuratively 'junk / lousy' (垃圾食品 junk food). 垃圾桶 is the container that holds it. Don't drop the 桶 when you mean the bin.
水桶 is a water bucket. Both end in 桶, but the first two characters tell you what's inside — garbage vs. water.
Acquire it by listening
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