‘厕纸’ (cèzhǐ) literally means ‘toilet paper’ — a compound noun formed by 厕 (cè), meaning ‘toilet’ or ‘lavatory’, and 纸 (zhǐ), meaning ‘paper’. It refers specifically to the soft, absorbent paper used for personal hygiene after using the toilet. Unlike general paper products, 厕纸 is designed to dissolve easily in water and is not suitable for other purposes like writing or cleaning surfaces.

This word is neutral in register and widely used in everyday spoken and written Chinese — from household conversations to product labels and public signage. It’s commonly found in contexts related to home supplies, travel preparation, or public restroom facilities. While the characters individually carry broader meanings, together they form a fixed, unambiguous term with no common figurative uses. Learners should avoid substituting it with generic terms like ‘纸’ alone, which would be vague or incorrect in this context.