お手洗い
otearai[o̞te̞a̠ɾa̠i]
In Japanese, the word for restroom is お手洗い (otearai). Wiktionary also lists トイレ (toire).
Meaning: public room containing a toilet (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| お手洗い | otearai | [o̞te̞a̠ɾa̠i] (narrow) |
| トイレ | toire | [to̞iɾe̞] (narrow) |
The term refers to a public room containing a toilet. In high-end department stores or hotels, you may see the sign 化粧室, which literally means 'powder room'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word お手洗い literally means 'hand washing'.
Which one should you use?
トイレ is a direct loanword from English and is more casual than お手洗い. お手洗い is a more polite and indirect way to refer to the restroom than トイレ.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
トイレ is the standard, more informal term used in daily conversation. お手洗い is a more polite and indirect way to refer to the restroom and is the preferred term to use when speaking to staff in a restaurant or a formal setting.
How do you pronounce it?
otearai
Did you know?
- Japanese toilets often feature a 'washlet' button that plays a recording of running water or music to mask sounds for the user's privacy.
- In Japan, it is common to see 'squat toilets' alongside Western-style seats in the same restroom facility.
- In Japanese culture, the concept of 'washing hands' via お手洗い serves as a polite euphemism to avoid the unrefined topic of bodily functions.
Examples in context
- トムはトイレだよ。Tom is in the restroom.This sentence is useful for stating someone is currently in the restroom using トイレ.Tatoeba #9026117 by small_snow, translation #3410774 by CK
- トイレ行ってくる。I'm going to the restroom.This sentence is useful for announcing you are going to the restroom using トイレ.Tatoeba #10914910 by small_snow, translation #2544760 by CK
- トイレはどこですか。Where's the restroom?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of the restroom using トイレ.Tatoeba #201726 by bunbuku, translation #38932 by CK
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are at a shopping mall.
- 結衣 Yui健太さん、お手洗いはどこにありますか。Kenta-san, otearai wa doko ni arimasu ka.Kenta, where is the restroom?
- 健太 Kentaあそこにありますよ。Asoko ni arimasu yo.It is over there.
- 結衣 Yuiわかりました。ありがとうございます。Wakarimashita. Arigatou gozaimasu.I see. Thank you very much.
- 健太 Kentaいいえ、ゆっくりしてください。Iie, yukkuri shite kudasai.No problem, take your time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “restroom” translations and entries お手洗い, トイレ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
