[Vocabulary] rest room

[jiaruchan]

If I use the term 'rest room' or 'restroom' to refer to a room for people to sit and take a rest besides answering the nature's call, will it be confused in a way with American English for toilet?

Or, there should be a different phrase like 'rest lounge' that would be more commonly used?

Thank you.

 

[emsr2d2]

If I use the term 'rest room' or 'restroom' to refer to a room for people to sit and take a rest besides answering the nature's call, will it be confused in a way with American English for toilet?

Or, there should be a different phrase like 'rest lounge' that would be more commonly used?

Thank you.

I guess it depends on your audience. Every office I worked in in the UK had a "rest room" and it was exactly that - a room where you could go for 5 minutes to get away from the busy office. I don't recall anyone ever being confused by the American usage of the term "restroom".

 

[Barb_D]

It wouldn't work in the U.S. at all.

If you told me that someone spend a few minutes in the rest room and returned feeling refreshed, I would assume you were talking about the toilet (and giving me more information than I really wanted to know).

 

[TheParser]

If I use the term 'rest room' or 'restroom' to refer to a room for people to sit and take a rest besides answering the nature's call, will it be confused in a way with American English for toilet?

Or, there should be a different phrase like 'rest lounge' that would be more commonly used?

Thank you.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Good afternoon, jiaruchan.

(1) This is a very delicate matter.

(2) In the United States, many (most?) refined people do not usually say,

"Where's the toilet?"

(3) People ask in more gentle ways:

(a) Where is the restroom?

(b) Where is the bathroom?

(c) Where may I wash my hands?

(d) Ladies (not men) can ask: Where's the powder room?

(e) Some people are a tiny bit naughty. They will ask: Where's the reading room?

Thank you.