Japanese word

お手洗い

Pronunciation

Romajiotearai

Meaning

  • nounrestroom, bathroom

Example

お手洗いを使ってもいいですか？o te ara i o tsuka tte mo i i de su ka

May I use the restroom?

Illustration for お手洗い (restroom)

More examples

学校でお手洗いに行きます。gak kō de o te ara i ni i ki ma su

I go to the bathroom at school.

すみません、お手洗いはどちらですか？su mi ma se n o te ara i wa do chi ra de su ka

Excuse me, where is the restroom?

Core concept

Describes a restroom through the polite idea of washing one's hands rather than naming its other main function directly.

Common phrases

  • お手洗いに行くo te ara i ni i ku

    go to the restroom

  • お手洗いを借りるo te ara i o ka ri ru

    use the restroom

Similar words

トイレtoire: A common everyday word for a room used as a restroom.
化粧室keshōshitsu: A polite word for a restroom, especially in stores, hotels, and restaurants.
便所benjo: A direct word for a toilet or restroom with a rough or old-fashioned tone.

Definition in Japanese

用便や手洗いをするために使う場所。yō ben ya te ara i o su ru ta me ni tsuka u ba sho

Word origin

お手洗い (otearai) is formed from お (o, "honorific prefix") and 手洗い (tearai, "hand washing"), a term that came to refer politely to a restroom.

Usage tips

  • In restaurants and hotels, お手洗い (otearai) commonly appears in questions asking where the restroom is, not only in requests to use it.

Word lists with this word