トイレ
Japanese
Etymology
Clipping of トイレット (toiretto), borrowed from English toilet.[1][2][3]
Pronunciation
Noun
Usage notes
While previously this term was considered rather crude when used to refer to the bathroom (being literally “toilet”), its usage is increasingly accepted, particularly in the younger generation – 「トイレはどこですか。」 (“Where is the toilet?”) is generally acceptable. In polite conversation, however, お手洗い (otearai, “washroom”) is preferred.
The honorific おトイレ (o-toire) is less often used, but is found, particularly in polite writing referring to toilets, rather than the room – if wishing to be polite when referring to the room, one would more often use お手洗い.
Synonyms
- 便所 (benjo), お便所 (obenjo)
- 手洗い (tearai), お手洗い (otearai): washroom
- 化粧室 (keshōshitsu): lavatory, make-up room, powder room – used in public spaces, like shops or on an airplane, more as the written sign than in speech
Derived terms
- おトイレ (o-toire)
Related terms
- トイレット (toiretto)
References
- ^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- ^ Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
- ^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK Publishing, →ISBN