How to say "disposal" in Japanese

• 処分しょぶんJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers disposal in the sense of throwing things away or selling them off. The everyday choice when talking about getting rid of unwanted belongings, waste, or surplus items.
  私わたしたちはその土地とちを処分しょぶんしなければならない。↗

  We have to dispose of the land.
• 廃棄はいきJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers disposal as discarding, abandonment, or scrapping. Best when items are discarded outright or scrapped, especially documents, equipment, or goods that are destroyed or done away with.
  もう一ひとつの面白おもしろいエネルギー源えねるぎーげんは、放射能ほうしゃのうの廃棄はいき物質ぶっしつから取り出とりだせる熱ねつである。↗

  Another interesting source of energy is the heat that can be recovered from radioactive waste material.
• 払い下げはらいさげCommon
  nounA marginal match: it is disposal only in the narrow sense of selling unwanted government assets to the public. For most senses of 'disposal' this is not the word you want.
• 処理しょりJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers disposal as processing or dealing with something, such as handling waste, paperwork, or problems. The focus is on the handling or treatment itself rather than on getting rid of things.
  あなたはあの車くるまをどう処理しょりしたのですか？↗

  What did you do with that car?
• 始末しまつJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers disposal as cleaning up, settling, or dealing with a matter. Carries a nuance of taking care of something inconvenient or troublesome so the matter is fully settled.
  彼かれは午後ごごいっぱい使つかって昨年さくねんのほうれん草の根くさのねを始末しまつした。↗

  He's spent all afternoon rooting up last year's spinach plants.

Use 処分 for throwing away or selling off, 廃棄 for discarding or scrapping, 処理 for handling or dealing with, 始末 for cleaning up or settling matters, and 「払い下げ」 only for sales of government assets.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 処分しょぶんdisposal
• 廃棄はいきdisposal
• 払い下げはらいさげsale (usu. of unwanted government assets)
• 処理しょりprocessing
• 始末しまつmanagement
• 投棄とうきabandonment
• 廃却はいきゃくdisposal
• 廃棄処分はいきしょぶんdisposal
• 整理せいりretrenchment
• さばきdealing with (e.g. customers)