洗手间
xǐshǒujiān
In Chinese, the word for restroom is 洗手间 (xǐshǒujiān).
洗手间 is a versatile term meaning restroom or washroom that is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Other ways to refer to these facilities include 卫生间, which literally means sanitary room or hygienic room and the formal term 公共厕所, which means public toilet. For gender-specific locations, you can use 男洗手间 or 女洗手间 for men's and women's washrooms or the shorter 男厕 and 女厕.
Meaning: public room containing a toilet (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 洗手间 is composed of 洗 (wash), 手 (hand) and 间 (room), literally meaning 'wash hand room'.
Which one should you use?
While 洗手间 (wash hand room) and 卫生间 (hygiene room) are both polite ways to refer to a restroom, 卫生间 is often used to refer specifically to a bathroom in a home or hotel setting. Additionally, 男厕 and 女厕 are used to specify men's and women's restrooms.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
洗手间 is a polite and common term used in public spaces. In contrast, 厕所 is a more blunt and informal way to say toilet. For a formal way to refer to a public restroom, you may use 公共厕所.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hong Kong, 洗手间 is commonly used to refer to restrooms.
How do you pronounce it?
xǐshǒujiān
Did you know?
- While 洗手间 is the polite term, people in casual settings often use the phrase 方便一下 (to convenience oneself) as a euphemism for needing the restroom.
- You might see signs for 第三卫生间 (third restroom), which are family-friendly or gender-neutral spaces designed for caregivers and children.
- In traditional Chinese culture, there is a taboo against mentioning the toilet in certain formal contexts, leading to a wide variety of indirect euphemisms beyond just 洗手间.
Examples in context
- 我去下洗手间。I'm going to the restroom.This sentence shows how to express the intention of going to the restroom using 洗手间.Tatoeba #5096722 by mirrorvan, translation #2544760 by CK
- 请问，洗手间在哪里？Excuse me, where is the restroom?
- 这边的洗手间在哪儿？zhè biān de xǐshǒu jiān zài nǎ'er?Where is the restroom here?
- 请问，洗手间干净吗？qǐngwèn, xǐshǒu jiān gānjìng ma?Excuse me, is the restroom clean?
Example conversation
At a shopping mall, Junjie is looking for the facilities.
- 俊杰 Junjie梓涵，你知道洗手间在哪里吗？Zǐhán, nǐ zhīdào xǐshǒu jiān zài nǎlǐ ma?Zihan, do you know where the restroom is?
- 梓涵 Zihan就在那边的走廊尽头。Jiù zài nà biān de zǒuláng jìntóu.It is just at the end of that corridor.
- 俊杰 Junjie离这儿远吗？Lí zhèr yuǎn ma?Is it far from here?
- 梓涵 Zihan不远，走几步就到了。Bù yuǎn, zǒu jǐ bù jiù dào le.Not far, just a few steps away.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
