うんちしたい
unchi shitai
The English phrase "I need to go poop" is translated into Japanese as うんちしたい (unchi shitai).
うんちしたい is a childish or informal way to express the need to use the bathroom to defecate. It is most commonly used by young children, or by adults when they are speaking to very young children.
What does it mean word for word?
This phrase is composed of unchi (poop) and shitai (the desire to do an action).
Which one should you use?
While うんちしたい is the standard way to express this idea in a childish manner, it is highly informal. For a much more socially acceptable way for an adult to express the need to use the restroom without explicitly mentioning feces, use トイレに行きたい (I want to go to the toilet).
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase grammatically polite, you can use うんちしたいです.
How do you pronounce it?
unchi shitai
Did you know?
- While an adult using うんちしたい sounds like a child, Japanese adults often use the much more indirect and polite euphemism お手洗い (otearai), which literally translates to 'hand wash'.
- There is a traditional Japanese custom of using 'onomatopoeia' for bowel movements, such as ぶりぶり ('buri buri'), which children often pair with うんちしたい to describe the action.
- In Japan, adults often use the term うんち ('unchi') when talking to children, but they might use the word うんこ ('unko') when speaking informally among peers, as the latter is considered slightly more blunt.
Examples in context
- あ、うんちしたい！A, unchi shitai!Ah, I need to go poop!
- お腹痛い、うんちしたい。Onaka itai, unchi shitai.My stomach hurts, I need to go poop.
- もう、うんちしたい！Mou, unchi shitai!Geez, I need to go poop!
Example conversation
Two young children are playing in a living room.
- 結衣 Yuiねえ、陽太、うんちしたい。Nee, Youta, unchi shitai.Hey Youta, I need to go poop.
- 陽太 Yotaトイレ、いくの？Toire, iku no?Are you going to the toilet?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、すぐいく！Un, sugu iku!Yeah, I'll go right now!
- 陽太 Yotaわかった。Wakatta.Okay.
