トイレ

• Reading: トイレ
• Romaji: toire
• Pronunciation: /to.i.ɾe/

Meaning

Toilet; restroom; bathroom; lavatory. The most common and neutral word for a bathroom.

Borrowed from English 'toilet.' This is the standard, everyday word — appropriate in any situation from casual to polite. More formal alternatives include お手洗い (otearai — washroom) and 化粧室 (keshōshitsu — powder room, used in department stores). Key phrases: トイレに行く (go to the toilet), トイレはどこですか (where is the restroom?).

Examples

1. すみません、トイレはどこですか。 Excuse me, where is the restroom?
2. トイレを使ってもいいですか。 May I use the restroom?
3. レストランのトイレはきれいでした。 The restaurant's restroom was clean.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, public places, home

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From English 'toilet,' which itself derives from French 'toilette' (a cloth for grooming). Adopted into Japanese during the postwar period as Western-style bathrooms became widespread.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal