下水道（げすいどう、gesuidou）
- sewer

The Japanese word 下水道 げすいどう refers to a sewage system or a sewer. It's the network of pipes, tunnels, and treatment facilities that carries away wastewater from homes, businesses, and industrial sites. This wastewater, often referred to as sewage, is then treated to remove pollutants before being released back into the environment. Essentially, 下水道 is the infrastructure responsible for managing and disposing of wastewater in a hygienic and environmentally responsible manner.

⚫︎下水道工事 Translation: Sewer construction ⚫︎下水道が詰まっている。 Translation: The sewer is clogged. ⚫︎新しい下水道システムを建設する。 Translation: To build a new sewage system.

You would use 下水道 in conversations related to: ⚫︎Urban planning and infrastructure. ⚫︎Environmental concerns and pollution. ⚫︎Construction and maintenance of public utilities. ⚫︎Discussing issues related to wastewater management. You'd typically use it in formal or semi-formal contexts.

下水道 is written using kanji. The reading is げすいどう in hiragana. There is no other common way to write this word. The okurigana is standard.

While there isn't a direct synonym for 下水道 in Japanese, related terms include: ⚫︎汚水処理施設 (おすいしょりしせつ) - Wastewater treatment facility ⚫︎下水管 (げすいかん) - Sewer pipe

There aren't direct antonyms for 下水道 because it describes a system. However, concepts that are opposite to its function could be: ⚫︎上水道 (じょうすいどう) - Water supply system (used for clean water, as opposed to wastewater) ⚫︎排水 (はいすい) - Drainage, which can refer to stormwater systems that are separate from 下水道 in some areas.

この地域はまだ下水道が整備されていない。 ・Translation: This area still doesn't have a developed sewage system. ・Explanation: This sentence explains that the region lacks the infrastructure for wastewater management.

下水道の点検は定期的に行われるべきだ。 ・Translation: Sewer inspections should be carried out regularly. ・Explanation: The sentence highlights the importance of regular maintenance of the 下水道 system.

The word 下水道 is composed of the characters 下 (げ/shita) meaning "below, under," 水 (すい/mizu) meaning "water," and 道 (どう/dō) meaning "way, road, path." It literally means "underwater passage" or "underground water way," describing the below-ground pipes and channels that carry away wastewater.