洗手
To wash hands
直訳: 洗 (Wash) 手 (Hands)
Use `洗手` to politely excuse yourself to the bathroom or to literally clean your hands.
15秒でわかる
- Literally means washing hands with water and soap.
- The most polite way to ask for the restroom.
- Essential for restaurants, homes, and social gatherings.
意味
While it literally means cleaning your hands with water, it is the most common way to politely excuse yourself to find a restroom.
主な例文
3 / 6At a restaurant with friends
我去洗个手，等我一下。
I'm going to wash my hands, wait for me a bit.
In a formal business meeting
不好意思，我想去一下洗手间。
Excuse me, I would like to go to the restroom.
Before starting a meal
吃饭前要洗手。
You must wash your hands before eating.
文化的背景
In China, hygiene is deeply linked to social etiquette and health. Using 'washing hands' as a euphemism for the toilet dates back to a desire to avoid 'crude' language in social settings. It is the most universally accepted way to excuse oneself across all age groups.
The 'Ge' Trick
Add `个` (ge) in the middle: `洗个手`. It makes you sound much more like a native speaker and less like a textbook!
Don't confuse with 'Xi Zao'
Be careful! `洗澡` (xi zao) means taking a full shower. If you say that at a dinner table, people will be very confused.
15秒でわかる
- Literally means washing hands with water and soap.
- The most polite way to ask for the restroom.
- Essential for restaurants, homes, and social gatherings.
What It Means
洗手 is a basic, essential phrase. It literally means to wash your hands. However, it is also a very polite euphemism. It is the standard way to say you need the bathroom. It sounds much cleaner than being too graphic. Think of it like saying 'freshen up' in English.
How To Use It
You can use it as a simple verb-object phrase. You often pair it with 想 (want) or 去 (go). For example, 我想去洗手 means 'I want to wash my hands.' It is short and very easy to remember. You will hear it every single day in China.
When To Use It
Use it before you eat at a restaurant. Use it when you arrive at a friend's house. It is the perfect 'escape' phrase during a long meeting. If you are on a date and need a break, say this. It is polite and never sounds rude. Even kids use it at school.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it if you are actually talking about a 'bath' or 'shower.' For that, you need 洗澡. Also, don't use it if you are trying to say you are 'done' with a crime. In English, we 'wash our hands' of a situation. In Chinese, that is specifically 洗手不干, which is a bit more dramatic.
Cultural Background
In Chinese culture, hygiene is a sign of good manners. Washing hands before a meal is a deep-rooted habit. Because 'toilet' words can be a bit 'earthy' or 'dirty,' 洗手 became the go-to polite substitute. It reflects the Chinese value of 'mianzi' or saving face. You are keeping the conversation elegant while handling business.
Common Variations
The most common place to go is the 洗手间. This is the 'wash hand room' (restroom). You might also hear 冲手 which is a quick rinse. If someone is being very formal, they might say 洗漱 which includes washing the face. But for 99% of your life, 洗手 is your best friend.
使い方のコツ
Very versatile phrase. It transitions perfectly from literal hygiene to a polite social euphemism without changing the words.
The 'Ge' Trick
Add `个` (ge) in the middle: `洗个手`. It makes you sound much more like a native speaker and less like a textbook!
Don't confuse with 'Xi Zao'
Be careful! `洗澡` (xi zao) means taking a full shower. If you say that at a dinner table, people will be very confused.
The 'Retiring' Meaning
In old Kung Fu movies, if a master says they are 'washing their hands in a gold basin' (金盆洗手), it means they are retiring from the world of fighting forever.
例文
6我去洗个手，等我一下。
I'm going to wash my hands, wait for me a bit.
Adding 'ge' makes it sound more casual and natural.
不好意思，我想去一下洗手间。
Excuse me, I would like to go to the restroom.
Uses the noun version 'wash hand room' for extra politeness.
吃饭前要洗手。
You must wash your hands before eating.
A standard literal instruction often said to children.
你在哪？我在洗手。
Where are you? I'm washing my hands.
Short and direct for texting.
我的手太粘了，必须洗手！
My hands are too sticky, I must wash them!
Literal use emphasizing the mess.
去洗洗手，会舒服一点。
Go wash your hands, you'll feel a bit better.
Repeating the verb 'xi xi' makes it sound gentle and caring.
自分をテスト
You are at a dinner party and need the bathroom. What do you say?
我想去___。
`洗手` is the polite way to excuse yourself for the restroom.
Complete the sentence about hygiene.
吃饭前要___。
You wash your hands (洗手) before eating, not your hair (洗头) or car (洗车).
🎉 スコア： /2
ビジュアル学習ツール
Ways to say 'Go to the Bathroom'
Very direct
上厕所
Everyday polite
洗手
Very polite
去洗手间
When to use 'Xi Shou'
At a hotpot restaurant
Before eating spicy food
During a date
Polite excuse to leave the table
After gardening
Literally cleaning dirt
In the office
Asking where the restroom is
よくある質問
10 問No, it literally means washing hands. If your hands are dirty from paint, you use 洗手.
Yes, it is very safe. Using 我想去洗手 is polite and professional.
洗手 is the action (to wash hands), while 洗手间 is the location (the restroom).
No, for a shower or bath you must use 洗澡 (xǐ zǎo).
上厕所 is more direct and slightly less 'elegant' than 洗手.
You ask 洗手间在哪里？ (Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ?).
Some people say 去方便一下 (qù fāngbiàn yīxià), which literally means 'to go make things convenient.'
Yes! It's a general 'freshening up' term, so it covers mirror checks too.
Repeating the verb makes it sound softer, more casual, or even a bit cute.
Yes, 洗手 is understood and used everywhere in the Mandarin-speaking world.
関連フレーズ
洗手间
Restroom / Bathroom
洗澡
To take a bath or shower
洗脸
To wash one's face
卫生间
Toilet / Hygiene room (common term)
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