厕所Everywhere
Public toilets in China: the rules nobody writes down
Public toilets are everywhere and free. Half have no paper. Some are squat. You need a plan, not luck.
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卫生间In Chinese
Step by step
- Carry a pack of tissues, always. Buy at any convenience store: 纸巾 (zhǐ jīn), 2 RMB.
- Best toilets, in order: shopping malls, metro stations, hotel lobbies, Starbucks. Worst: parks and old hutong blocks.
- Squat toilet: face the hood, feet on the ridges, keep your phone in a zipped pocket. It is simpler than it looks.
- In older buildings, paper goes in the bin next to the toilet, not in the bowl. Look for a sign or a full bin.
Where to go
Look for 卫生间, 洗手间 or 厕所. In malls, follow the WC sign, usually near the escalators on each floor.
The one mistake
Leaving the hotel without tissues. That is the whole mistake.
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