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.
犬が電柱に小便をした。
The dog peed on the utility pole.
ここでの小便は禁止されている。
Urinating here is prohibited.
酔っ払いが道端で小便をしているのを見て、眉をひそめた。
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.
あいつは土壇場で小便した。
He backed out at the last minute.
大事な契約を小便されて、会社は大損した。
The company took a huge loss when the other side reneged on an important contract.
口約束だけで小便されるのを何度も経験してきた。
I've experienced people backing out on verbal-only promises many times.
Literally "small convenience," paired with 大便 ("large convenience," feces). In polite or medical contexts, use 尿 or おしっこ instead. 小便 sounds rough and is more common in male speech.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 小便をする: to urinate
- 立ち小便: urinating in public (a punishable minor offense)
- 小便小僧: "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: urine — clinical/medical
- 小用: number one — softer, often used in older or polite speech
- 小便: 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.