sanitary
sanitary — 形容詞
1. relating to the pipes, drains, and treatment systems that carry dirty water and
衛生的
與汙水處理及環境衛生有關的
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.
市議會花費三十億元升級老舊的衛生下水道系統。
collocation: sanitary sewer system
Diego found that the building's sanitary drains were blocked by tree roots after the storm.
Diego 發現大樓的衛生排水管在暴風雨後被樹根堵塞了。
A modern sanitary system uses treatment plants to clean the wastewater before releasing it.
現代化的衛生系統利用處理廠淨化廢水，再將其排放出去。
Without proper sanitary infrastructure, diseases can spread quickly after heavy rain.
如果沒有完善的衛生基礎設施，大雨過後疾病可能迅速蔓延。
The government invested in sanitary facilities for every new public housing block.
政府為每一棟新的公共住宅樓投資興建衛生設施。
- 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
乾淨衛生的
乾淨且不危害健康的
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.
所有餐廳廚房都必須保持清潔衛生，否則可能被衛生局勒令停業。
predicative use: stay sanitary
Jack scrubbed the stainless steel countertops until every surface was sanitary.
Jack 用力刷洗不鏽鋼流理檯面，直到每個表面都乾淨衛生為止。
The clinic uses special cleaning agents to keep treatment rooms sanitary between patients.
這家診所使用特殊清潔劑，在患者就診之間維持診療室的衛生。
Food handlers in the cafeteria must wash their hands to maintain sanitary conditions.
自助餐廳的員工必須勤洗手，以維持衛生的環境。
Saira's apartment was inspected and declared fully sanitary before the baby arrived.
Saira 的公寓在寶寶出生前通過檢查，被認定為完全乾淨衛生。
- 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
生理用
女性生理期間使用的衛生用品
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.
這個慈善機構免費發放衛生棉給貧困社區的女孩，這些家庭買不起這類用品。
collocation: sanitary pads
Defne found a wide selection of sanitary products near the pharmacy counter.
Defne 在藥局櫃檯旁邊找到種類豐富的生理用品。
collocation: sanitary products
Some schools keep sanitary items in the nurse's office for students in need.
有些學校在保健室為有需要的學生存放生理用品。
Maja asked the school nurse where she could find free sanitary supplies.
Maja 詢問學校護理師哪裡可以拿到免費的生理用品。
The packaging says this sanitary napkin absorbs three times more liquid than regular ones.
包裝上標示，這款衛生棉的吸收量是普通款式的三倍。
- 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.