<p>Don't use 厕所 whilst eating with people.</p>

<p>Otherwise I don't think people will mind all <em>that</em> much.</p>

<p>A Chinese friend of mine told me to say 大使馆 for the bathroom before, but I bet you can see the joke already....</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-29T16:07:40.860Z
2014-07-29T16:07:40.860Z
Mou某
<p>Generally you may ask 请问厕所在哪里? or 请问洗手间在哪里? The name of <strong>toilet</strong> was called 茅房 (<strong>thatch house</strong>) in ancient times, later it was named 茅厕 and then 厕所 (<strong>side place</strong> or <strong>side room</strong>) finally, it is already elegant than 茅房. But now, Chinese translate the word <strong>washroom</strong> to 洗手间 (<strong>washing hands room</strong>) or 卫生间 (<strong>hygienic room</strong>) more frequently than using the origin Chinese word <strong>厕所</strong>, for it is considered as an inelegant word instead in the mind of most people, it is a mistake actually, but it is hard to change back. But, this word is still common in daily life, most people prefer speaking 上厕所 to 上洗手间.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-03T12:41:22.463Z
2018-05-07T08:04:23.070Z
2018-05-07T08:04:23.070Z
xenophōn
<p>3 other possibilities 解手、
方便（said to bus driver, on busses w/o restroom, in order to make him/her stop the bus),cf.
<a href="http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTgzNzk0MjQ=.html" rel="nofollow">http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTgzNzk0MjQ=.html</a>
１５：５２：passenger to bus driver:师傅 到前边停一下
１５：５４：想方便方便、
撒尿(urinate)、</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-30T01:27:55.017Z
from watching free online videos it would seem that 拉屎 is not quite as crass as shitting, also after having been to the restroom, it seems on can refer to the activity there by just 拉，e.g. 我拉完了/我没拉完cf。 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTE0Mjg5NzMy.html ０６：４１：student says to teacher＂我还没拉完＂
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-22T14:45:47.753Z
Actually this seems very helpful to me, not for ordinary use in a restaurant or on the street, but precisely as S.Rhee says when you need to convey that it is important and you need someone to take action like stopping a bus.
Colin McLarty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-29T23:33:44.290Z
2014-07-29T23:33:44.290Z
user6065
<p>I think the problem is what is the difference between 我想去洗手间 and 我想上厕所 . In chinese daily life，they have same meaining : go to toilets. However 我想去洗手间 is a more polite expression and is used in formal  occasions and eating. </p>

<p>Alternatively, 洗手 is a verb meaning to clean your hands by water if your hands are dirty. It is just  a ordinary word. If you say 洗手 , you are considerd to wash your hands in 厕所 or 洗手间.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-08T01:15:53.033Z
2018-05-08T01:15:53.033Z
yiii_tian
<p>Our Chinese teacher, a native Chinese speaker from Shenyang, said, that instead of saying 我想上厕所 the more polite and preferrable way to excuse for going to the toilet is to say, for example, to the teacher in the class: 我要方便一下.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-10T09:51:53.770Z
2018-05-10T09:51:53.770Z
Andrei Petrov
<p>Roughly speaking, <code>洗手间 = bathroom/restroom</code> and <code>厕所 = toilet.</code></p>

<p>洗手 literally means <code>wash hands</code>. It's not feminine, it's just more polite as you mentioned.</p>

<p>You can use either in most cases. You would use 洗手间 while eating or when talking to someone you don't know very well. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-15T10:17:46.863Z
2011-12-15T10:17:46.863Z
StarCub
<p>I've noticed sometimes in polite company or in the company of strangers some people will saying they are going to wash their hands 去洗手 (qù xǐshǒu) instead of going to the toilet 去上厕所 (qù shàng cèsuǒ).</p>

<p>Alternatively, asking for the 洗手间 (xǐshǒujiān) instead of the 厕所 (cèsuǒ).</p>

<p>Is this something that should be copied? Does it matter for guys, is this more feminine to say 洗手?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-07T08:51:57.477Z
If you travel across China or mandarin speaking region, you need to prepare to use them interchangeably , 厕所(generic),  洗手间(TW. HK) and 卫生间 (CN, beijing) . It is similar to "soda" vs "pop".  The so call "not to use" 厕所, is just a ridiculous taboo borrow from English.
mootmoot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-10T16:27:03.357Z
It's just like "restroom". You don't go to the restroom to rest, just the same way you don't go to the 洗手间 only to 洗手. It's a more like an euphemism.
Enrico Brasil
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-23T06:46:58.077Z
厕所 could sound unrefined... My mother told me when I was a child that I should say 卫生间 instead of 厕所...
user58955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-15T10:11:37.710Z
I highly doubt 洗手 is more feminine. The two terms are basically synonymous for bathroom/toilet, but you could say 洗手 is more like an euphemism
Zhanger
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-15T10:14:15.740Z
补妆 is  more feminine not 洗手
Alex Chen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-15T10:29:14.953Z
Lucky you don't have friends like mine, some of the boys just go 拉屎 (lit. pull a shit) which I think sounds pretty nasty!
Ciaocibai
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-15T15:34:55.133Z
@Ciaocibai: That is a bit funny 8-)
dr Hannibal Lecter
<word-choice><culture>
When not to use 厕所 when asking for the toilet?
# When not to use 厕所 when asking for the toilet?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-12-15)

I've noticed sometimes in polite company or in the company of strangers some people will saying they are username_0 to wash their hands 去洗手 (qù xǐshǒu) instead of username_0 to the toilet 去上厕所 (qù shàng cèsuǒ).

Alternatively, asking for the 洗手间 (xǐshǒujiān) instead of the 厕所 (cèsuǒ).

Is this something that should be copied? Does it matter for guys, is this more feminine to say 洗手?

**Tags:** word-choice, culture

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: I highly doubt 洗手 is more feminine. The two terms are basically synonymous for bathroom/toilet, but you could say 洗手 is more like an euphemism  
> **username_5**: 补妆 is  more feminine not 洗手  
> **username_6**: Lucky you don't have friends like mine, some of the boys just go 拉屎 (lit. pull a shit) which I think sounds pretty nasty!  
> **username_7**: @username_6: That is a bit funny 8-)  
> **username_3**: 厕所 could sound unrefined... My mother told me when I was a child that I should say 卫生间 instead of 厕所...  
> **username_1**: If you travel across China or mandarin speaking region, you need to prepare to use them interchangeably , 厕所(generic),  洗手间(TW. HK) and 卫生间 (CN, beijing) . It is similar to "soda" vs "pop".  The so call "not to use" 厕所, is just a ridiculous taboo borrow from English.  
> **username_2**: It's just like "restroom". You don't go to the restroom to rest, just the same way you don't go to the 洗手间 only to 洗手. It's a more like an euphemism.  

---

## 6 answers

### Answer by username_14 on 2011-12-15. Score: 16 | Accepted answer

Roughly speaking, `洗手间 = bathroom/restroom` and `厕所 = toilet.`

洗手 literally means `wash hands`. It's not feminine, it's just more polite as you mentioned.

You can use either in most cases. You would use 洗手间 while eating or when talking to someone you don't know very well.


---

### Answer by username_8 on 2014-07-29. Score: 3

Don't use 厕所 whilst eating with people.

Otherwise I don't think people will mind all *that* much.

A Chinese friend of mine told me to say 大使馆 for the bathroom before, but I bet you can see the joke already....


---

### Answer by username_9 on 2018-05-03. Score: 1

Generally you may ask 请问厕所在哪里? or 请问洗手间在哪里? The name of **toilet** was called 茅房 (**thatch house**) in ancient times, later it was named 茅厕 and then 厕所 (**side place** or **side room**) finally, it is already elegant than 茅房. But now, Chinese translate the word **washroom** to 洗手间 (**washing hands room**) or 卫生间 (**hygienic room**) more frequently than using the origin Chinese word **厕所**, for it is considered as an inelegant word instead in the mind of most people, it is a mistake actually, but it is hard to change back. But, this word is still common in daily life, most people prefer speaking 上厕所 to 上洗手间.


---

### Answer by username_10 on 2014-07-29. Score: 0

3 other possibilities 解手、
方便（said to bus driver, on busses w/o restroom, in order to make him/her stop the bus),cf.
<http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTgzNzk0MjQ=.html>
１５：５２：passenger to bus driver:师傅 到前边停一下
１５：５４：想方便方便、
撒尿(urinate)、

> **Comments:**
> **username_10**: from watching free online videos it would seem that 拉屎 is not quite as crass as shitting, also after having been to the restroom, it seems on can refer to the activity there by just 拉，e.g. 我拉完了/我没拉完cf。 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTE0Mjg5NzMy.html ０６：４１：student says to teacher＂我还没拉完＂  
> **username_11**: Actually this seems very helpful to me, not for ordinary use in a restaurant or on the street, but precisely as S.Rhee says when you need to convey that it is important and you need someone to take action like stopping a bus.  

---

### Answer by username_12 on 2018-05-08. Score: 0

I think the problem is what is the difference between 我想去洗手间 and 我想上厕所 . In chinese daily life，they have same meaining : go to toilets. However 我想去洗手间 is a more polite expression and is used in formal occasions and eating.

Alternatively, 洗手 is a verb meaning to clean your hands by water if your hands are dirty. It is just a ordinary word. If you say 洗手 , you are considerd to wash your hands in 厕所 or 洗手间.


---

### Answer by username_13 on 2018-05-10. Score: 0

Our Chinese teacher, a native Chinese speaker from Shenyang, said, that instead of saying 我想上厕所 the more polite and preferrable way to excuse for username_0 to the toilet is to say, for example, to the teacher in the class: 我要方便一下.


---

