小便(しょうべん)

しょうべん
noun
urine; urination; (slang) backing out
informalbody-internalhealth
1. urine; pee; urination
A direct, coarse word for urine or urinating. Common in everyday male speech and informal writing, but considered crude in polite contexts.
犬(いぬ)が電柱(でんちゅう)に小便(しょうべん)をした。
The dog peed on the utility pole.
ここでの小便(しょうべん)は禁止(きんし)されている。
Urinating here is prohibited.
酔(よ)っ払(ぱら)いが道端(みちばた)で小便(しょうべん)をしているのを見(み)て、眉(まゆ)をひそめた。
I frowned when I saw a drunk man urinating on the side of the road.
2. backing out; reneging on a deal (slang)
Used in expressions like 小便(しょうべん)する to mean breaking a promise, walking away from a deal, or pulling out of an arrangement. Rough, informal register.
あいつは土(ど)壇場(たんば)で小便(しょうべん)した。
He backed out at the last minute.
大事(だいじ)な契約(けいやく)を小便(しょうべん)されて、会社(かいしゃ)は大(おお)損(ぞん)した。
The company took a huge loss when the other side reneged on an important contract.
口(くち)約束(やくそく)だけで小便(しょうべん)されるのを何度(なんど)も経験(けいけん)してきた。
I've experienced people backing out on verbal-only promises many times.

Literally "small convenience," paired with 大便(だいべん) ("large convenience," feces). In polite or medical contexts, use 尿(にょう) or おしっこ instead. 小便(しょうべん) sounds rough and is more common in male speech.

Common collocations

  • 小便(しょうべん)をする: to urinate
  • 立(た)ち小便(しょうべん): urinating in public (a punishable minor offense)
  • 小便(しょうべん)小僧(こぞう): "the peeing boy" — a famous statue, also a metaphor for someone immature

Register

  • おしっこ: pee — childish/cute, used by children or with children
  • 尿(にょう): urine — clinical/medical
  • 小用(しょうよう): number one — softer, often used in older or polite speech
  • 小便(しょうべん): pee, piss — rough, masculine register

Sense 2 note

"To back out" usage is slangy and rare in polite contexts; common in business gossip and rough speech.

Related Words

Compare: 大便(だいべん) (feces)
general
Added 2026.6.4 12:14 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
28500/28713_shouben