Different Countries' names for their public lavatories
 

For people who travel to different countries, it must be a good thing to know what the public restroom is called in each country that they visit.

US = Restroom
Philippines = Comfort Room or CR
Britain =?
Canada =?
France = ?
Spain = ?
Mexico = ?
Japan = ?
China = ?

Etc....?

Chile = Baño o Water (éste último ya casi no se usa y ya se utiliza más para la taza del baño)

Vita32, how about "casilla"? (Nasa'an casilla?) I've also heard "comfort station". That was from a Cebuano speaker.

In the USA I have heard: john, crapper (sounds vulgar but it's not), head (mostly US Navy and US Marines), head (mostly US Army), KYBO (almost exclusively Boy Scouts), loo (almost exclusively women), ladies room, gentelemen's room, powder room (women), little boys room, little girls room (both used by adults), lavatory, "place where I can wash my hands", bathroom (usually in a private home), restroom (usually public), the can (men), etc.

Good question. :)

BrE: Public Toilets

The bog

@Perikles: I've seen some of my British friends use "the loo". How often is it heard? :thinking:

Interesting question. It depends on the social circles you move in. I remember as a student being asked by a high-class girl where the nearest loo was. I was around 20 years old, and I'd never heard the word before! She then rolled her eyes when she realized she was speaking to one of oi polloi, and she said lavatory, thinking this was a word I would understand.

Anyway, the word loo is nowadays quite well known. Its etymology is not so well known. Some think it is because this facility was often room no. 100 in a large building. Others think that it is because old French toilets used to have two small holes o o in the door the see whether it was occupied, so it was called l'o o' :rolleyes:

Peep holes in toilet doors!!!:thinking::D:D:D

Thank you! I shall make sure to use the word only among people who have used it before. :D

En México: el baño