ゴミ

Etymology
. Nihon Kokugo Daijiten cites numerous theories from earlier dictionaries. These include:
 * Shortened from チリゴミ (chirigomi “dispersed in; scattered upon”); see ,
 * From コミ (komi “flooding”), perhaps from waste dispersed in flood waters
 * Shortened from コヅミ (kozumi “stacks; that which accumulates”); see
 * From クヅツミ(屑積) (kuzutsumi “waste”); see
 * From ゴ (go), a regionalism meaning “pine needles”

Other authors note that go is used for “leaves” as well as “pine needles” in various regions of Japan.

Noun

 * 1) trash, rubbish, garbage

Usage notes
In a survey conducted by the Agency of Cultural Affairs in 2019, respondents were asked whether they preferred writing ゴミを捨てる or ごみを捨てる (“throw out trash”). 73.0% of respondents said they preferred the spelling while 20.8% preferred.