Chinese word

上厕所

Pronunciation

Pinyinshàng cè suǒ

Meaning

  • verbgo to the bathroom

Example

我去上厕所，马上回来。wǒ qù shàng cè suǒ mǎ shàng huí lái

I am going to the bathroom and will be right back.

Illustration for 上厕所 (go to the bathroom)

More examples

孩子哭着要妈妈带他上厕所。hái zi kū zhe yào mā mā dài tā shàng cè suǒ

The child cried and asked his mother to take him to the bathroom.

Core concept

A routine, usually brief trip to a toilet for bodily relief.

Common phrases

  • 带孩子去上厕所dài hái zi qù shàng cè suǒ

    take a child to the bathroom

  • 去上厕所一下qù shàng cè suǒ yí xià

    go to the bathroom briefly

Similar words

去洗手间qù xí shǒu jiān: Going to the bathroom in a polite way that avoids direct mention of bodily relief.
去厕所qù cè suǒ: Going to the toilet as a normal phrase in daily speech.

Definition in Chinese

离开正在做的事去厕所排泄或方便的行为。lí kāi zhèng zài zuò de shì qù cè suǒ pái xiè huò fāng biàn de xíng wéi

Word origin

上厕所 (shàngcèsuǒ, "go to the toilet") is a transparent combination of 上 (shàng, "go to") and 厕所 (cèsuǒ, "toilet"), with the whole phrase referring to a normal bodily break.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often use an indirect phrase for this topic, but everyday Chinese commonly states the purpose plainly without making the wording rude.

Other meanings

  • use the toiletverb
  • relieve oneselfverb

Opposites

  • 忍住rěn zhùhold it inverb

Word lists with this word