おしっこ
oshikko[o̞ɕik̚ko̞]
The English phrase "pee-pee" is translated into Japanese as おしっこ (oshikko).
おしっこ is a childish word for urine or the act of urinating. It is the most commonly used way to refer to pee-pee informally.
What does it mean word for word?
The お (o) at the beginning of おしっこ is an honorific prefix that makes the word sound softer and more polite/child-friendly.
Which one should you use?
おしっこ is the common, informal way to say pee-pee. For a cute and informal term used by children to express urination, you can use ちっち. In medical or scientific contexts, the formal term for urine is 尿 (nyō) and the formal term that specifically means urination is 排尿 (hainyō).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
おしっこ is a common, relatively polite way to refer to urine, often used by children or by adults when speaking to children. For more clinical or scientific settings, use 尿 (nyō) or 排尿 (hainyō).
How do you pronounce it?
oshikko
Did you know?
- The prefix お (o) in おしっこ is an example of 'beautification' (bikago), a linguistic tool used to make unpleasant or taboo topics sound more pleasant.
- The word おしっこ was first recorded in written form around 1905, making it a relatively modern addition to the language.
- In Japan, the concept of 'potty training' is often linked to the word おしっこ, but the phrase おむつ外し (omutsu hazushi) literally means 'diaper removing'.
Example conversation
A mother and her young son are getting ready to leave the house.
- 陽太 Yotaおしっこしたい！oshikko shitai!I want to pee-pee!
- 美咲 Misakiじゃあ、早く行ってね。jaa, hayaku itte ne.Then go quickly, okay?
- 陽太 Yotaおしっこしたよ！oshikko shita yo!I did a pee-pee!
- 美咲 Misakiいい子だね。行こうか。ii ko da ne. ikou ka.Good boy. Shall we go?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry おしっこ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries おしっこ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
