更衣室

• Reading: こういしつ
• Romaji: kouishitsu
• Kanji breakdown: 更 (kou/sara) — renew, change, again; 衣 (i/koromo) — garment, clothing; 室 (shitsu) — room
• Pronunciation: /koː.i.ɕi.tsɯ/

Meaning

Locker room; changing room; dressing room. A room designated for changing clothes.

A noun referring to a room where people change their clothing. Found in gyms, swimming pools, hospitals, workplaces, and department stores. The formal equivalent of everyday expressions like 着替える場所 (kigaeru basho, place to change). Often appears on signs and facility maps. In Japanese workplaces, 更衣室 may be where employees change into uniforms.

Examples

1. プールの更衣室でロッカーの鍵をなくした。 I lost my locker key in the pool changing room.
2. 病院の更衣室で手術着に着替えた。 I changed into a surgical gown in the hospital changing room.
3. 更衣室は男女別になっている。 The changing rooms are separated by gender.

Usage Guide

Context: sports facilities, workplace, hospitals

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 更 (kou, renew/change) + 衣 (i, garment/clothing) + 室 (shitsu, room). Literally 'garment-changing room' — a space designated for putting on different clothes.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal