手洗い・手洗|てあらいtearai[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. nounwashing one's hands; water (or basin, etc.) for washing one's hands
2. nounrestroom; lavatory; toilet
   婦人ふじん用よう手洗てあらいはどこですか。↗

   Where is the ladies' room?
3. nounhand-washing (laundry, etc.)

• Synonymお手洗いおてあらいFormalThe polite form of 「手洗い」, the natural choice when asking for the restroom; remember 「手洗い」 also covers washing hands or clothes.
• SynonymラバトリーNeutralLoanword for a lavatory, especially the toilet on a plane or similar facility.
• Synonym便所べんじょNeutralMore blunt and direct than the euphemistic 「手洗い」; a plain word for the toilet that is heard less often nowadays.
• Related便所べんじょNeutralMore blunt and direct than the euphemistic 「手洗い」; a plain word for the toilet that is heard less often nowadays.
• RelatedトイレNeutralThe everyday loanword for the toilet and the most common choice in daily speech; 「手洗い」 sounds more polite and roundabout.
• RelatedトイレットNeutralLoanword for the toilet, but mostly seen inside compounds such as 「トイレットペーパー」 rather than standing alone.
• Related不浄ふじょうWrittenWritten-style euphemism that can mean the toilet or menstruation; carries an old-fashioned air compared with 「手洗い」.
• Related洗面所せんめんじょNeutralThe room with the washbasin, centered on washing up rather than the toilet; 「手洗い」 can also refer to the restroom.
• Relatedご不浄ごふじょうNeutralA euphemism for the toilet with an old-fashioned, feminine ring; nowadays 「お手洗い」 is the usual polite choice.
• Related憚りはばかりWrittenWritten-style euphemism for the toilet, archaic in flavor; its basic sense is hesitation or reserve, and it is rarely used now.
• Related化粧室けしょうしつFormalFormal and euphemistic, literally a powder room; the usual sign in public facilities such as department stores and hotels.
• Related不浄場ふじょうばWrittenWritten-style and archaic, rarely seen today; for a polite euphemism modern speakers say 「お手洗い」.
• Related厠かわやWrittenArchaic word for a privy or outhouse; in modern Japanese say 「トイレ」 or 「お手洗い」 instead.
• Related後架こうかWrittenArchaic term, originally for a temple toilet, and rare today; modern speakers would say 「お手洗い」.
• Related雪隠せっちんWrittenArchaic, literary word for the toilet; today 「トイレ」 or 「お手洗い」 has taken its place.
• Antonym機械洗いNeutralMachine washing, the direct opposite of 「手洗い」 in its hand-washing-laundry sense.
• Antonym自動洗浄NeutralAutomatic flushing and cleaning by a device such as a toilet; for laundry the opposite of 「手洗い」 is 「機械洗い」.

Use 「手洗い」 for a soft-spoken way to say the restroom, and for washing your hands or hand-washing clothes; 「お手洗い」 is its politer form. For everyday talk, 「トイレ」 is the default. In department stores or hotels you'll see 「化粧室」, and the room with the sink is 「洗面所」. For machine washing, say 「機械洗い」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 手てを洗あらうこと。
2. 便所べんじょ。
3. 洗濯機せんたくきを使つかわずに、手てで汚よごれを落おとすこと。