How the ‘WC’ Sign Reflects Cultural Differences Around the World

Have you ever seen the letters “WC” outside a public bathroom and wondered what they mean? You’re not alone! Many people around the world are curious about the “WC,” which refers to a room with a toilet and a sink.

While we can explain what “WC” stands for, it might not make much more sense than other terms like restroom, bathroom, or loo.

In 2020, a couple named Shelby and Dylan made a TikTok video showing a funny difference between how some Americans and Canadians refer to bathrooms. In the video, Dylan walks by a sign that says “washroom” and asks, “What in the world is a washroom?” He humorously wonders what people are washing in there, adding, “The only thing I wash in there is my hands.” Off-camera, Shelby chimes in, asking, “Do you rest in a restroom?”

It’s interesting to see how different cultures use different terms for the same place!

“That’s a good point. None of these terms make much sense,” Dylan says in the video.

Many people joined the conversation online, sharing their thoughts about what they call this important room.

One user commented, “It’s called a bathroom, restroom, washroom, and toilet.”

Another follower shared a funny story from Disneyland, saying they “asked for the washroom” and ended up being sent to the laundromat instead!

A third user joked, “Wait until he finds out about water closets.”

**Water Closet**
According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, a “water closet” is a term used to describe “a room with a toilet” or “a toilet bowl and its accessories.”

Long ago, when people talked about using the bathroom, it often meant taking a bath. The term “restroom” suggested a place to rest or get ready by using the sink and mirror.

Lastly, if you needed to go potty, you would use the toilet in the water closet. Depending on where you are in the world, this room is called many different names, including loo, restroom, bathroom, washroom, lavatory, or WC.

Credit: Shutterstock

In modern times, you will often see signs that say “WC” in public places like airports, restaurants, or hotels. This is just another way to say “restroom” or “bathroom,” but it is usually seen as a more formal or international sign for places that welcome travelers from different countries.

**History of the WC**
Before the 19th century in America, having an indoor toilet was a luxury only for wealthy people. Most people used outhouses or outdoor toilets. While many homes had “bathrooms” for taking baths, these rooms usually didn’t have toilets. The installation of indoor plumbing started to become common in the late 1800s, leading to the creation of the water closet by 1890. These early water closets had toilets that were separate from bathing areas.

It wasn’t until the early 20th century that bathrooms began to combine both bathing areas and toilets into one room. This design helped save space and made plumbing simpler, but it also reduced privacy, especially when multiple people were using the bathroom.

Over time, the term “water closet” changed to refer to a small, private room within a larger bathroom that was used only for the toilet. These water closets often have a small sink for handwashing, making them convenient and self-contained.

Credit: Shutterstock

To understand the term “water closet,” many people shared their thoughts on Reddit in a post titled, “Why is a public WC called bathroom if there is [no] bath?”

In response, one Reddit user pointed out, “Americans might ask: ‘Why is it called a WC (water closet) if it isn’t even a closet?” This user explained that in the U.S., “bathroom” or “restroom” is the common way to refer to a “room with a toilet.” Other countries use different terms, like “WC,” “lavatory,” or “loo.”

Another user mentioned that in Russian, the term translates to “a room without windows,” even if there is a window. A third user shared that in Esperanto, it’s called “necesejo,” meaning “necessary place.”

Other Reddit users talked about the differences between “washroom,” “bathroom,” and “restroom.” One commenter noted, “Canada famously uses ‘washroom,’” while another clarified that in the Midwest, “washroom” is also common, but “bathroom” and “restroom” are used more frequently.

One user humorously stated, “Best one, I think. You should be washing in there… not resting.”

What do you think about the term WC? What do you call the room that has a toilet? We would love to hear your opinions, so please share your thoughts!

11 Old-School Parenting Rules That We Can’t Imagine to Follow Today

These days, young parents have tons of information about raising kids. There are books, websites, and experts offering advice on every little thing. They can even get consultations from specialists whenever they need. But our own parents didn’t have all that. They raised us based on what they knew and what they learned from their own parents. So sometimes, the way we were brought up can seem really different from what we’re told is best now.

1. Early marriage and parenthood go without saying.

In earlier generations, there was often pressure on young adults to marry and start a family at a relatively young age, and to have more than one child a couple of years after the start of the family. Today, there is more emphasis on personal and career development before settling down. And moreover some researches show that early marriage can lead to some family problems, like dissatisfaction with married life, experience of having lots of responsibility, lack of independence in family life.

2. A college education is an indicator of your status.

«You can’t find a good job without going to college!» Many people must have heard this when they were teenagers. And lots of us believed this, but now don’t even know where our college diploma is. More than 41% of people that finished college have jobs that don’t require this kind of education. Today, employers are more interested in the practical skills of their employees rather than their qualifications.

When you finish school, it may be wise to take a gap year to understand what you really want to do and decide if you actually need a college education.

3. Classes are good for kids’ development — the more, the better!

A very tight schedule can exhaust children, which is obviously not good at all.

Famous American teacher Douglas Haddad recommends that parents slow down and give their children time to discover their own talents, and then decide if they need additional forms of education.

4. Being plump is healthy.

Children that always finished their meals were praised, and being plump was believed to be healthy. But bad eating habits formed in childhood often result in weight problems and eating disorders.

5. Money can’t buy happiness.

We wish this were true, but life says otherwise: money can make you happier, no matter what other people say.

Parents should teach their children the basics of budgeting. This will help kids form the right habits in money management and reach financial success in their adult lives.

6. Not standing out from the crowd means being good.

Traditional parenting often enforced strict dress codes and grooming expectations, particularly regarding modesty and conformity to societal norms. This might puzzle us today as modern parenting encourages children to express themselves through their clothing, appearance and let them express their emotions fully.

7. Older children are responsible for younger ones.

Very often, older children had to spend a lot of time taking care of younger ones. Parents had to work a lot and there was no other choice. But older kids had to sacrifice their time with friends and hobbies for the needs of their younger siblings.

Psychologists say that sometimes when kids have to perform the duties of parents, it may lead to psychological problems: they might not want to have their own children.

8. Women are housewives and men are breadwinners.

In recent decades, gender roles are not as important anymore. Women today can build successful careers and men can go on paternity leave and manage things around the house.

9. There’s nothing more shameful for a woman than having children without a husband.

Wrong, again. Today, there’s nothing surprising about single mothers and they’re not frowned upon as they were 30 years ago. Very often, having a child without a husband is an informed decision made by a woman. More than that, in the past 30 years, the number of single fathers has increased 1.5 times.

10. Storks deliver babies.

Some topics were never discussed — like when kids asked where babies came from, parents often said that they were delivered by a stork. Because of this, young people would often get into their first relationship without any knowledge of their bodies. They only based things off of the advice they received from their friends and bits of information from books and films. All these experiences could lead to bad consequences, including problems with both physical and mental health.

11. Children should be seen and not heard.

In the past, children were often expected to remain quiet and obedient in the presence of adults. Modern parenting emphasizes the importance of children expressing themselves and their opinions, because self-expression is a vital component of a young individual’s growth. The development of self-esteem and confidence in children is frequently nurtured by their capacity to express their feelings with clarity and authenticity.

Every parent has their own way of raising children. Just like how every family has its own special traditions, parents have rules they think are best for their kids. Sometimes, famous people, like celebrities, also share their ideas about parenting. They might talk about what works for them and their families. But in the end, each parent decides what’s right for their own children, based on love and what they believe is best.

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