大便

だいべん

feces

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"大便" (だいべん) is a formal or medical term for feces or bowel movements. It is commonly used in medical contexts, health discussions, or formal writing rather than casual conversation.

Common Contexts

You will often see "大便" in hospitals, clinics, or health-related documents when discussing digestive health, stool tests, or symptoms related to bowel movements.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 大便をする: to defecate, a neutral expression often used in medical or formal contexts.
  • 大便の検査: feces examination, used in medical testing.
  • 大便が硬い: hard feces, indicating constipation or digestive issues.

Register and Politeness

This word is not typically used in casual or polite conversation due to its clinical tone. In everyday speech, people often use softer or more colloquial terms like "うんち" or "おしっこ" for children or informal settings.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "大便" with more casual terms or use it in inappropriate social contexts. Remember to reserve "大便" for formal or medical situations to avoid sounding overly blunt or awkward.

Example Sentences

こどもがだいべんをしたあとは、かならずてをあらわせてください。

After a child has a bowel movement, always make sure they wash their hands.

いしゃはだいべんのけんさをして、しょうかきのびょうきをしらべた。

The doctor examined the feces to check for digestive diseases.

だいべんがかたいとべんぴのかのうせいがあります。

If the feces are hard, there is a possibility of constipation.