真菌(しんきん)

しんきん
noun
fungus; fungi
sciencehealth
1. fungus; fungi
The biological kingdom of organisms that includes molds, yeasts, and mushrooms. In everyday Japanese, most commonly encountered in medical contexts — fungal infections of the skin, nails, or internal organs.
真菌(しんきん)に感染(かんせん)した。
I got a fungal infection.
水虫(みずむし)は真菌(しんきん)が原因(げんいん)の皮膚(ひふ)病(びょう)だ。
Athlete's foot is a skin disease caused by fungus.
湿度(しつど)が高(たか)い環境(かんきょう)では真菌(しんきん)が繁殖(はんしょく)しやすいので、換気(かんき)に気(き)をつけてください。
Fungi multiply easily in humid environments, so please pay attention to ventilation.

Composed of 真(しん) (true) and 菌(きん) (germ, fungus). The term 真菌(しんきん) distinguishes fungi as a separate biological kingdom from bacteria (細菌(さいきん)). In daily life, the word appears most often in medical and health contexts — discussing skin infections, mold problems, or food science.

Common collocations

Related words

  • 細菌(さいきん): bacteria — often confused with fungi, but a different kingdom
  • カビ: mold — the everyday word for visible fungal growth
  • 酵母(こうぼ): yeast — a type of fungus used in fermentation
  • きのこ: mushroom — the fruiting body of certain fungi

Related Words

Related: 細菌(さいきん) (bacteria)
Related: カビ (mold)
Related: 茸(きのこ) (mushroom)
general
Added 2026.5.1 1:21 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:31
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