sanitary
sanitary — adjective
1. relating to the pipes, drains, and treatment systems that carry dirty water and
relating to the pipes, drains, and treatment systems that carry dirty water and waste away from buildings so that people stay healthy
The city council spent three billion dollars upgrading its old sanitary sewer system.
collocation: sanitary sewer system
Diego found that the building's sanitary drains were blocked by tree roots after the storm.
A modern sanitary system uses treatment plants to clean the wastewater before releasing it.
Without proper sanitary infrastructure, diseases can spread quickly after heavy rain.
The government invested in sanitary facilities for every new public housing block.
- waste-treatment
compound adjective, more specific to the processing stage rather than the entire system
- sewage-related
narrower focus on human waste specifically; less common as an adjective
- unsanitary
describes systems that are poorly maintained or fail to meet health standards
文法句型
sanitary + noun (sewer, drain, system, landfill, facility, infrastructure)
用法筆記
Typically used attributively before nouns in civil engineering and public health contexts. The noun it modifies is usually infrastructure-related: sewer, drain, system, landfill, facility, or infrastructure. This sense is less common in everyday conversation and more frequent in official reports, building codes, and urban planning documents.
常見錯誤
2. free from dirt, germs, and other harmful things; kept clean enough to protect pe
free from dirt, germs, and other harmful things; kept clean enough to protect people from illness — for example, a sanitary kitchen in a restaurant, or a sanitary hospital room
All restaurant kitchens must stay sanitary or they risk being shut down by health inspectors.
predicative use: stay sanitary
Jack scrubbed the stainless steel countertops until every surface was sanitary.
The clinic uses special cleaning agents to keep treatment rooms sanitary between patients.
Food handlers in the cafeteria must wash their hands to maintain sanitary conditions.
Saira's apartment was inspected and declared fully sanitary before the baby arrived.
- hygienic
very similar in meaning; hygienic often emphasises practices and habits (hand-washing, food safety), while sanitary focuses on the resulting state of cleanliness
- clean
broader and more common in everyday speech; does not always carry the health-protection meaning
- sterile
stronger meaning: completely free from all microorganisms; used in surgery and laboratories rather than general cleaning
- unsanitary
direct opposite: describes conditions that are dirty and likely to cause illness
- dirty
more general, everyday antonym; less formal than unsanitary
- contaminated
implies the presence of harmful substances or germs, often in food, water, or medical contexts
文法句型
keep/stay/remain + sanitary
sanitary + condition(s) / environment / standard(s)
用法筆記
Can be used both attributively (sanitary conditions) and predicatively (keep the kitchen sanitary). More formal than clean; preferred in regulations, health inspections, and official documents. For everyday speech (e.g. 'this table is clean'), use clean rather than sanitary, which can sound overly technical.
常見錯誤
3. describing products that women use to absorb or collect menstrual blood during t
describing products that women use to absorb or collect menstrual blood during their monthly period — for example, sanitary pads, sanitary napkins, or sanitary towels
The charity distributes free sanitary pads to girls in communities that cannot afford them.
collocation: sanitary pads
Defne found a wide selection of sanitary products near the pharmacy counter.
collocation: sanitary products
Some schools keep sanitary items in the nurse's office for students in need.
Maja asked the school nurse where she could find free sanitary supplies.
The packaging says this sanitary napkin absorbs three times more liquid than regular ones.
- menstrual
more direct medical term; used in phrases like menstrual cup, menstrual products, or menstrual hygiene
- feminine-hygiene
broader category that includes all personal care products for women; considered slightly old-fashioned by some speakers
文法句型
sanitary + product/pad/napkin/towel/supply
用法筆記
Attributive only — the noun that follows (pad, napkin, towel, product, supply) carries the main meaning. In Taiwan, the common terms are 衛生棉 (sanitary pad) and 生理用品 (sanitary products / menstrual products). In informal speech, many speakers simply refer to these as pads or period products.