洗手间

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 洗手间 (xǐshǒujiān) literally means "wash hand room" and refers to a restroom or bathroom. It is composed of three characters: 洗 (xǐ), meaning "to wash"; 手 (shǒu), meaning "hand"; and 间 (jiān), meaning "room". The term 洗手间 is commonly used in Mainland China, while in Taiwan and Hong Kong, the term 厕所 (cèsuǒ), meaning "toilet room", is more commonly used.The character 洗 (xǐ) is a pictograph depicting a person washing their hands under a stream of water. The character 手 (shǒu) is a pictograph of a hand. The character 间 (jiān) is a pictograph of a room or building.The term 洗手间 is a relatively new term in the Chinese language. It was first used in the early 20th century and has since become the standard term for restroom or bathroom in Mainland China.