Bathroom & Toilet in Chinese 浴室里
yùshì lǐ
Bathroom, toilet in Chinese is 卫生间 (wèi shēng jiān).
Also searched for as: toilet, shower, washroom, where is the toilet.
Room by room: getting clean. 15 essential in the bathroom words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
Bathroom vocabulary is practical from day one, whether you're staying with a host family, checking into a hotel or reporting a problem to a landlord. 浴室 (yù shì) is the room where you wash, and 马桶 (mǎ tǒng) is the toilet bowl itself. Everyday items like 牙刷 (yá shuā), 毛巾 (máo jīn) and 热水 (rè shuǐ) let you ask for what you need without awkward miming.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 浴室 | yù shì | bathroom |
| 马桶 | mǎ tǒng | toilet (the bowl) |
| 洗手池 | xǐ shǒu chí | sink; washbasin |
| 淋浴 | lín yù | shower |
| 浴缸 | yù gāng | bathtub |
| 牙刷 | yá shuā | toothbrush |
| 牙膏 | yá gāo | toothpaste |
| 毛巾 | máo jīn | towel |
| 肥皂 | féi zào | soap |
| 洗发水 | xǐ fà shuǐ | shampoo |
| 沐浴露 | mù yù lù | shower gel |
| 卫生纸 | wèi shēng zhǐ | toilet paper |
| 梳子 | shū zi | comb |
| 吹风机 | chuī fēng jī | hairdryer |
| 热水 | rè shuǐ | hot water |
Usage tips
- In public, ask for the 洗手间 (xǐ shǒu jiān) or 卫生间 (wèi shēng jiān); 浴室 (yù shì) suggests a room with a bath or shower, so it isn't the word for public toilets.
- In speech, washing your hair is 洗头 (xǐ tóu), even though shampoo is 洗发水 (xǐ fà shuǐ); 发 is the more formal word for hair and appears mainly in product names.
- Many Chinese homes heat water with a 热水器 (rè shuǐ qì) that has to be switched on before you shower, so if there's no hot water, check that first.
Common mistakes
- Pronouncing 洗发水 as xǐ fā shuǐ: 发 meaning 'hair' is fourth tone, fà, while first-tone fā means 'to send' or 'to issue'.
- Saying 洗澡 for washing your hands: 洗澡 (xǐ zǎo) is a full bath or shower. Washing your hands is 洗手 (xǐ shǒu) and washing your face is 洗脸 (xǐ liǎn).
- Defaulting to 个 for everything: say 一把牙刷 (yī bǎ yá shuā), 一条毛巾 (yī tiáo máo jīn) and 一块肥皂 (yī kuài féi zào).
Mini dialogue
- A浴室里没有热水了。Yù shì lǐ méi yǒu rè shuǐ le.There's no hot water in the bathroom.
- B你开热水器了吗？Nǐ kāi rè shuǐ qì le ma?Did you switch the water heater on?
- A哦，忘了！还有，毛巾在哪儿？Ò, wàng le! Hái yǒu, máo jīn zài nǎr?Oh, I forgot! Also, where are the towels?
- B在洗手池下面的柜子里。Zài xǐ shǒu chí xià miàn de guì zi lǐ.In the cupboard under the sink.
Example sentences
- 浴室在卧室旁边。The bathroom is next to the bedroom.
- 马桶堵了。The toilet is blocked.
- 洗手池里有头发。There's hair in the sink.
- 浴室里只有淋浴，没有浴缸。The bathroom only has a shower, not a bath.
- 我想泡在浴缸里。I want to soak in the bath.
- 我需要一把新牙刷。I need a new toothbrush.
- 牙膏快用完了。The toothpaste is nearly finished.
- 这条毛巾是干净的。This towel is clean.
- 用肥皂洗手。Wash your hands with soap.
- 这个洗发水很香。This shampoo smells nice.
- 沐浴露在架子上。The shower gel is on the shelf.
- 卫生纸没有了！We're out of toilet paper!
- 你看到我的梳子了吗？Have you seen my comb?
- 洗完头用吹风机吹干。Dry your hair with the hairdryer after washing it.
- 今天没有热水。There's no hot water today.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The In the bathroom speaking island has 8 everyday questions about in the bathroom to prepare your own answers to.