Word
便所
Meaning in Englishtoilet, lavatory
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
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Word context
What it means
What does 便所 mean? It means toilet or restroom; a facility used for urination and defecation, typically found in homes, workplaces, and public spaces.
Main meanings
- Toilet/restroom as a facility for relieving oneself
- Public toilet, commonly referenced in signage or official language
- Archaic or formal usage, less common in casual speech
How to use it
Used in formal, written, and historical contexts; in everyday conversation, speakers prefer トイレ or お手洗い; 便所 appears in signage, official documents, or literature, where a formal or old-fashioned tone is desired.
Variants and close terms
- トイレ (toire) — common modern term
- お手洗い (otearai) — polite daily term
- 公衆便所 (koushuubenjo) — public toilet
- 男性用便所 / 女性用便所 (dansei-yō benjo / josei-yō benjo) — gendered variants
Composition
- 便 — convenience, facility; used in compounds to denote something designed for a function
- 所 — place, location; combined with 便 to indicate a place related to a function
- 便所 as a single unit conveys a place designed for the purpose of convenient relief
Etymology
ben and jo are the on'yomi readings for 便 and 所; together they form the pronunciation benjo for the compound 便所; the reading remains on'yomi in modern Japanese.
Word class
Noun (名詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N2
役所
yakusho
government office, public office
N2
余所
yoso
another place, somewhere else, strange parts
N3
所為
sei
cause, fault, reason
N3
郵便
yuubin
mail, postal service
N3
便り
tayori
news, letter, word from someone
N3
停留所
teiryuujo
bus or tram stop
N3
便
bin
way, means; flight
N4
事務所
jimusho
office, agency
N4
場所
basho
place, location, spot
Kanji