In this video lesson and Skritter deck, Skritter sisters Iona and Fiona Tian teach you some basic toilet terms in Mandarin Chinese, as well as host a toilet-themed quiz that enlightens you on the origins of the word for toilet in Chinese. You’ll learn how to say “you need the toilet”, as well as different ways to say a “Number 1” and “Number 2”.
Check out the quiz below…
Toilet Vocabulary
| Simplified | Traditional | reading | definition |
| 厕所 | 廁所 | ce4suo3 | toilet; lavatory; bathroom (colloquial) |
| 卫生间 | 衛生間 | wei4sheng1jian1 | restroom; bathroom (mostly used in China) |
| 洗手间 | 洗手間 | xi3shou3jian1 | toilet; lavatory; washroom; restroom |
| 马桶 | 馬桶 | ma3tong3 | toilet bowl; chamber pot |
| 浴室 | 浴室 | yu4shi4 | bathroom; washroom |
| 洗手 | 洗手 | xi3shou3 | wash one’s hands |
| 肥皂 | 肥皂 | fei2zao4 | soap |
| 擦干 | 擦乾 | ca1gan1 | wipe dry |
| 毛巾 | 毛巾 | mao2jin1 | towel; washcloth |
| 卫生纸 | 衛生紙 | wei4sheng1zhi3 | toilet paper |
| 手纸 | 手紙 | shou3zhi3 | toilet paper |
| 厕纸 | 廁紙 | ce4zhi3 | toilet/lavatory paper |
| 大便 | 大便 | da4bian4 | defecate; excrement; feces |
| 小便 | 小便 | xiao3bian4 | urinate; urine |
| 尿尿 | 尿尿 | niao4niao4 | to pee (colloquial) |
| 拉肚子 | 拉肚子 | la1du4zi5 | (coll.) have diarrhea |
| 一号 | 一號 | yi2hao4 | Number 1; the first day of the month; toilet |
| 二号 | 二號 | er4hao4 | Number 2, second day of the month |
Historial Culture Quiz All About the Toilet
Must Know Phrase!
Here is a very famous saying from the Song Dynasty literary figure Oūyáng Xiū known as “The three moments”
马上、枕上、厕上
馬上、枕上、廁上.
mǎshàng, zhěnshàng, cèshàng
lit: On horseback, on the pillow, on the toilet.
make good use of idle or fragmented time for thinking or studying
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