お手 洗(てあら)い

おてあらい

noun

restroom, toilet

politedaily-life

See also: 手洗(てあら)い (handwashing; restroom (plain form))

1. restroom, toilet, bathroom

A polite term for the toilet or restroom.

お手洗(てあら)いはどこですか。

Where is the restroom?

お手洗(てあら)いに行(い)ってきます。

I'm going to the restroom.

お手洗(てあら)いを借(か)りてもいいですか。

May I use the restroom?

すみません、この店(みせ)にお手洗(てあら)いはありますか。

Excuse me, does this shop have a restroom?

食事(しょくじ)の前(まえ)にお手洗(てあら)いで手(て)を洗(あら)ってきた。

I went and washed my hands in the restroom before the meal.

お手洗(てあら)い is a polite, euphemistic term for restroom or toilet, suitable for formal situations.

Etymology

お: honorific prefix
手(て): hand
洗(あら)い: washing (from 洗(あら)う)

Literally 'hand-washing (place)'.

REGISTER (toilet words):

お手洗(てあら)い: restroom (polite, safe for any situation)
トイレ: toilet (neutral, common in everyday speech)
化粧室(けしょうしつ): powder room (formal, often used in announcements)
洗面所(せんめんじょ): washroom (neutral, focuses on the sink area)
便所(べんじょ): toilet (direct, can sound crude)
厠(かわや): privy (old-fashioned, literary)

Related Words

Synonym: トイレ (neutral/common)

Related: 用足(ようた)し (errand)

Related: 洗面所(せんめんじょ) (washroom)

Compare: 便所(べんじょ) (toilet)

Compare: 公衆(こうしゅう)トイレ (public toilet)

basic

Added 2026.1.11 18:25 · Revised 2026.10.15 10:39

02500/02861_otearai