How to say "sanitation" in Japanese

• 保健ほけんJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounReally denotes the preservation and maintenance of health; as a rendering of 'sanitation' it is marginal, best suited to contexts where sanitary matters are treated as part of protecting people's health.
  ＷＨＯとは世界せかい保健ほけん機構きこうを表あらわす。↗

  WHO stands for World Health Organization.
• 衛生えいせいJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounThe default choice for 'sanitation' in its everyday sense: it denotes hygiene and cleanliness, and fits contexts concerned with keeping conditions clean and preventing the spread of disease.
  彼かれは衛生えいせい監視員かんしいんである。↗

  He is a sanitary inspector.
• 公衆衛生こうしゅうえいせいCommon
  nounSanitation at the level of the community: public health and public hygiene carried out for the population as a whole. Choose it when 'sanitation' means public systems and measures rather than personal cleanliness.

Use 衛生 for hygiene and sanitation in general, 公衆衛生 when sanitation is a matter of public or community health, and 保健 chiefly for the preservation of health, for which it is only a marginal rendering of 'sanitation'.

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

• 保健ほけんpreservation of health
• 衛生えいせいhygiene
• 公衆衛生こうしゅうえいせいpublic health
• 衛生管理えいせいかんりhygiene management
• 保健衛生ほけんえいせいhygiene