ຫ້ອງນ້ຳ
hǭng nam[hɔːŋ˧˩.nam˥˨]
The Lao word for bathroom is ຫ້ອງນ້ຳ (hǭng nam). Wiktionary also lists ຫ້ອງອາບນ້ຳ (hǭng ʼāp nam) and ສ້ວມອາບນ້ຳ (sūa mp nam).
Meaning: a room with a bathtub (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lao | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ຫ້ອງນ້ຳ | hǭng nam | [hɔːŋ˧˩.nam˥˨] (narrow) [hɔːŋ˥˥˨.nam˧˦] (narrow) |
| ຫ້ອງອາບນ້ຳ | hǭng ʼāp nam | |
| ສ້ວມອາບນ້ຳ | sūa mp nam |
The term ຫ້ອງນ້ຳ is the standard, general way to refer to a bathroom and it is also used to mean a toilet or restroom.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ຫ້ອງນ້ຳ is composed of ຫ້ອງ (room) and ນ້ຳ (water). The phrase ຫ້ອງອາບນ້ຳ is built from ຫ້ອງ (room), ອາບ (to bathe/shower) and ນ້ຳ (water).
Which one should you use?
While ຫ້ອງນ້ຳ is the general term for a bathroom, ຫ້ອງອາບນ້ຳ specifically emphasizes a room used for bathing or showering.
How do you pronounce it?
hǭng nam
Did you know?
- In many Lao households, the ຫ້ອງນ້ຳ is often located outside the main living structure or in a separate building to manage humidity and odors.
- When asking for a ຫ້ອງນ້ຳ in a public place, it is common to accompany the request with a slight bow of the head to remain polite.
- While ຫ້ອງນ້ຳ means 'water room', the word ນ້ຳ is used in Lao to describe almost any liquid, including 'coconut water' or 'fruit juice'.
Examples in context
- ຫ້ອງນ້ຳນີ້ມີອ່າງອາບນ້ຳໃຫຍ່.hong nam ni mi ang ap nam yai.This bathroom has a large bathtub.
- ຫ້ອງນ້ຳຢູ່ໃກ້ກັບຫ້ອງນອນ.hong nam yu kai kap hong non.The bathroom is near the bedroom.
Example conversation
At a hotel during check-in.
- Aຫ້ອງນ້ຳໃນຫ້ອງມີອ່າງອາບນ້ຳບໍ່?hong nam nai hong mi ang ap nam bo?Does the bathroom in the room have a bathtub?
- Bມີແນ່ນອນ, ເຈົ້າເອົາຫ້ອງນັ້ນໄດ້.mi nae non, chao ao hong nan dai.Yes, of course, you can take that room.
- Aດີຫຼາຍ, ຂ້ອຍມັກຫ້ອງນ້ຳທີ່ມີອ່າງ.di lai, khoy mak hong nam thi mi ang.Very good, I like a bathroom with a tub.
- Bພວກເຮົາຈະກຽມຫ້ອງນັ້ນໃຫ້ເຈົ້າ.phuak hao cha kiap hong nan hai chao.We will prepare that room for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bathroom” translations and entries ຫ້ອງນ້ຳ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
