空(あ)き瓶(びん)

あきびん

noun

empty bottle

1. empty bottle

A bottle that has been emptied of its contents. Commonly encountered in the context of recycling and waste separation in Japan.

空(あ)き瓶(びん)を洗(あら)う。

To wash empty bottles.

空(あ)き瓶(びん)は資源(しげん)ごみに出(だ)してください。

Please put empty bottles out with the recyclables.

庭(にわ)の隅(すみ)に空(あ)き瓶(びん)がたくさん転(ころ)がっていた。

There were many empty bottles lying around in the corner of the yard.

Composed of 空(あ)き (empty, vacant) + 瓶(びん) (bottle). Part of a series with 空(あ)き缶(かん) (empty can) and 空(あ)き箱(ばこ) (empty box). In Japanese garbage separation systems, 空(あ)き瓶(びん) are typically classified as 資源(しげん)ごみ (recyclable waste) and collected separately. The prefix 空(あ)き- is productive: 空(あ)き家(や) (vacant house), 空(あ)き地(ち) (vacant lot), 空(あ)き室(しつ) (vacant room).

Related Words

Related: 空(あ)き缶(かん) (empty can)

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Added 2026.3.23 18:26 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:31

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