空(あ)き缶(かん)

あきかん
noun
empty can
1. empty can; used beverage or food can
A can that has been emptied of its contents. Commonly encountered in the context of recycling and litter.
空(あ)き缶(かん)を拾(ひろ)う。
To pick up an empty can.
空(あ)き缶(かん)は潰(つぶ)してからリサイクルに出(だ)す。
Crush empty cans before putting them out for recycling.
道(みち)に空(あ)き缶(かん)がたくさん落(お)ちていて残念(ざんねん)だった。
It was unfortunate that there were so many empty cans littering the road.

A compound of 空(あ)き (empty) + 缶(かん) (can). Very commonly encountered in signs about recycling and waste separation in Japan.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 空(あ)き缶(かん)を潰(つぶ)す: to crush an empty can
  • 空(あ)き缶(かん)を捨(す)てる: to throw away an empty can
  • 空(あ)き缶(かん)回収(かいしゅう): empty can collection
  • 空(あ)き缶(かん)ポイ捨(す)て: littering with empty cans

RELATED TERMS:

  • 空(あ)き瓶(びん): empty bottle
  • 空(あ)き箱(はこ): empty box
  • 缶(かん): can — the base word; 缶詰(かんづめ) (canned food), 缶(かん)ジュース (canned juice)

CULTURAL NOTE:
Japan has strict waste separation rules. 空(あ)き缶(かん) is one of the standard recycling categories, alongside 空(あ)き瓶(びん) (bottles) and ペットボトル (PET bottles).

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Added 2026.4.9 2:26
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