三密(さんみつ)

さんみつ
noun
the three Cs (closed, crowded, close-contact)
healthsociety
1. the three Cs (closed spaces, crowded places, close-contact settings)
A public-health term coined in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic for the three conditions believed to raise infection risk: 密閉(みっぺい) (poorly ventilated spaces), 密集(みっしゅう) (crowded places), and 密接(みっせつ) (close-range contact). "Avoid the 三密(さんみつ)" was the central slogan.
三密(さんみつ)を避(さ)けよう。
Let's avoid the three Cs.
三密(さんみつ)を避(さ)けるために窓(まど)を開(あ)けた。
We opened the windows to avoid the three Cs.
コロナ禍(か)の中(なか)で、多(おお)くの人(ひと)が三密(さんみつ)という言葉(ことば)を日常的(にちじょうてき)に使(つか)うようになった。
During the COVID pandemic, many people came to use the word "sanmitsu" in daily life.

Coined by the Japanese government in 2020 as a memorable public-health slogan. Selected as the word of the year ("流行語(りゅうこうご)大賞(たいしょう)") in 2020.

The three components

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.5.29 13:09 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
28000/28366_sanmitsu