How to say "hygiene" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 保健ほけんnounCovers hygiene in the sense of preserving and maintaining health, as in health promotion and public health. It focuses on keeping people healthy rather than on cleanliness itself.
- 衛生えいせいnounCovers hygiene as cleanliness and sanitation, such as personal or food hygiene. This is usually the word you want when hygiene means keeping things clean to prevent disease.
Use 衛生 for hygiene as cleanliness and sanitation practices, and 保健 for hygiene in the sense of health preservation and maintenance; the two overlap in public-health contexts.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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