卫生间
wèishēngjiān
The Chinese word for bathroom is 卫生间 (wèishēngjiān).
卫生间 is the standard, neutral term used in both spoken and written Chinese to refer to a bathroom or restroom. It specifically refers to a restroom or toilet and emphasizes cleanliness.
Meaning: a room with a bathtub (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 卫生间 is a compound of 卫生 (hygiene/sanitation) and 间 (room/space).
Which one should you use?
While 卫生间 refers to a bathroom, 洗手间 literally translates to hand-washing room and is a common, slightly more polite alternative often used in public spaces or restaurants. In contrast, 厕所 is a more blunt and informal term for a toilet or restroom, whereas 卫生间 is more neutral and polite.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwan, the traditional Chinese character 廁 is used in 廁所 instead of the simplified 厕 used in mainland China.
How do you pronounce it?
wèishēngjiān
When do people say it?
上厕所 (shàng cèsuǒ) is a colloquial way of saying go to the restroom.
Did you know?
- In mainland China, the term 卫生 in 卫生间 is closely tied to the 'Patriotic Health Campaign', a massive state effort to modernize sanitation and eradicate pests across the country.
- The character 卫 in 卫生间 can also mean 'to defend' or 'to guard', suggesting a space that is 'defended' against germs or filth.
- In some casual settings, people avoid all these terms and simply ask where the WC is, using the English abbreviation as a loan-word in spoken Chinese.
Examples in context
- 我当时在卫生间。I was in the bathroom.This sentence is useful for stating your location in the 卫生间.Tatoeba #7767594 by jiangche, translation #5828323 by OsoHombre
- 汤姆进入了卫生间。Tom walked into the bathroom.This sentence is useful for describing the action of entering the 卫生间.Tatoeba #8854693 by iiujik, translation #2643157 by CK
- 请问洗手间在哪里?Excuse me, where is the bathroom?
- 这个卫生间里有浴缸。Zhège wèishēngjiān lǐ yǒu yùgāng.There is a bathtub in this bathroom.
Example conversation
Jiayi is showing Wei around her new apartment.
- 佳怡 Jiayi这里是卫生间。Zhèlǐ shì wèishēngjiān.This is the bathroom.
- 伟 Wei这里的瓷砖很漂亮。Zhèlǐ de cízhuān hěn piàoliang.The tiles here are very beautiful.
- 佳怡 Jiayi谢谢，我非常喜欢这里。Xièxie, wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān zhèlǐ.Thanks, I really like it here.
- 伟 Wei你的新家真的很不错。Nǐ de xīnjiā zhēnde hěn búcuò.Your new home is really great.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
