'厕位' literally combines '厕' (cè), meaning 'toilet' or 'lavatory', and '位' (wèi), meaning 'position', 'spot', or 'space'. Together, it refers specifically to a designated individual stall or cubicle in a public or shared restroom — not the entire bathroom, but one functional unit with a door, toilet, and sometimes sink. It's a neutral, formal term commonly used in signage, facility management, urban planning, and official announcements.

The word emphasizes capacity and spatial allocation: for example, a building might be required to provide a minimum number of '厕位' per hundred occupants. It's frequently seen on maps, apps (e.g., '查找附近厕位'), and accessibility reports. Unlike colloquial terms like '厕所' (toilet room) or '茅坑' (slang), '厕位' focuses on infrastructure and availability — making it especially common in municipal contexts, transportation hubs, and inclusive design discussions.