What's the difference between 埃{ほこり} and 塵{ちり} and 塵{ごみ}?


What I've found is that 埃{ほこり} means "dust", 塵{ごみ} means "rubbish", "trash",
"garbage", and 塵{ちり} means both of them.

I wonder what the difference between 埃 and 塵{ちり} is and what the difference
between 塵{ごみ} and 塵{ちり} is.




First, the kanji word 塵 is almost always read ちり. ごみ is usually written in
hiragana or katakana.

  * **ごみ** : As you say, "rubbish", "trash". It can be big like a broken PC.

  * **ほこり** : This refers to fine particles that can float in the air. It's a type of dust that accumulates on surfaces like desks over time. It's what becomes airborne when clothes covered in dirt are shaken. It is uncommonly used metaphorically. A dusty room is called a ほこりっぽい部屋.

  * **ちり** : While it can also refer to the same thing as ほこり, it also refers to larger particles that don't float in the air. For example, it can describe scraps of paper or thread left behind after crafting. If you feel the need to use a vacuum cleaner instead of a cloth for cleaning, it's probably ちり (or 小さなごみ) but not ほこり. Additionally, it is widely used metaphorically to refer to trivial or bothersome things. (For historical reasons, ちり紙 refers to tissue paper or old paper suitable for recycling.)




First, the kanji word 塵 is almost always read ちり. ごみ is usually written in
hiragana or katakana.

  * **ごみ** : As you say, "rubbish", "trash". It can be big like a broken PC.

  * **ほこり** : This refers to fine particles that can float in the air. It's a type of dust that accumulates on surfaces like desks over time. It's what becomes airborne when clothes covered in dirt are shaken. It is uncommonly used metaphorically. A dusty room is called a ほこりっぽい部屋.

  * **ちり** : While it can also refer to the same thing as ほこり, it also refers to larger particles that don't float in the air. For example, it can describe scraps of paper or thread left behind after crafting. If you feel the need to use a vacuum cleaner instead of a cloth for cleaning, it's probably ちり (or 小さなごみ) but not ほこり. Additionally, it is widely used metaphorically to refer to trivial or bothersome things. (For historical reasons, ちり紙 refers to tissue paper or old paper suitable for recycling.)

