洗手間
sai2 sau2 gaan1
The Cantonese word for bathroom is 洗手間 (sai2 sau2 gaan1).
洗手間 refers to a room with a bathtub.
Meaning: a room with a bathtub (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 洗 (wash), 手 (hand) and 間 (room), literally meaning "wash hand room".
Which one should you use?
洗手間 is a more polite and indirect way to refer to a bathroom compared to the word 廁所.
How do you pronounce it?
sai2 sau2 gaan1
Did you know?
- Because many Hong Kong apartments are tiny, the 洗手間 often combines the shower, toilet and laundry area into one single room.
- In very old Cantonese cinema or literature, you might encounter the term 便所, which is a more archaic way to refer to a public toilet.
- The term 間 gaan1 used in 洗手間 is actually a classifier used for many things, including rooms, windows, and even certain types of clothing, not just for the room itself.
Example conversation
Zijian and Meiling are visiting a house.
- 子健 Tsz Kin美玲，洗手間喺邊度？Mei4 ling4, sai2 sau2 gaan1 hai2 bin1 dou6Meiling, where is the bathroom?
- 美玲 Mei Ling喺個房隔離。hai2 go3 fong2 gak6 lei4It is next to the room.
- 子健 Tsz Kin唔該，我而家去洗手間。m4 goi1, ngo5 ji4 gaa1 heoi3 sai2 sau2 gaan1Thanks, I'll go to the bathroom now.
- 美玲 Mei Ling好嘅，慢慢行。hou2 ge3, maan6 maan6 haang4Okay, take your time.
