Part of the reason for asking the question differently in different places is the practical difference between the construction of houses. In the US, typically, the toilet is located IN the bathroom. So, if you ask for the bathroom, you are effectively asking for the location of the toilet, but in what I consider to be an overly euphemistic way. In other countries, that isn't necessarily the case. Here in New Zealand, and I believe also in Australia, and probably in Britain, the toilet is not located in the bathroom (which has a bath and/or shower) but in a separate room. So - asking for the bathroom instead of the toilet can be a bit silly. As teenagers tend to be overly influenced by TV, they tend to like being 'cool' and taking on american idiom, which can end up with confusion. Our old house had the toilet and the bathroom at different ends of the house. Several teenagers asked for the bathroom, got sent to the bathroom, then came back sheepishly and asked for the toilet!

In American English: - Toilet is the white porcelain "bowl" you sit on to do your business. - Bathroom is where the toilet is located in a home. A bathroom typically contains a sink, shower, and/or bathtub. - Restroom refers to a public "bathroom", such as you might find in a park, restaurant, mall, movie theater, or convenience store. A restroom typically has only a sink and toilet. Asking "Where's the toilet?" is not rude, but usually we ask where the bathroom is (in someone's home) or where the restroom is (in public).

This is a question of usage and cultural norms rather than actual meaning. A toilet is a toilet wherever you are. But while the literal meaning of the word 'toilet' is the same for all native speakers of English, there is a difference in how the word is used. For speakers of American English, this word refers to the object itself, rather than the location. For this reason, it seems a little crude to say the word 'toilet' in the US, especially in public or to strangers, so American English speakers generally say 'bathroom', or more formally, 'restroom'. This is not the case outside North America. For speakers of British English, a bathroom is a room where you bathe or shower, and a restroom is one where you .... rest. Maybe you'd expect to lie down and have a sleep there. Speakers of British English are familiar with the American usage from TV and films, but we use 'bathroom' exactly as you do - to mean the place where you'd find the bathtub. Outside North America, it's normal to say 'toilet' if you mean toilet, and 'bathroom' if you mean bathroom. Or 'loo', if you want to sound really British :)

There are many ways to express "restroom" in American English at least; bathroom lavoratory john latrine ladies / men's room little girls' / little boys' room, etc Toilet - sounds very vulgar in AmEng, and should only be used in very familiar settings, if at all.

Thank you all for the answers! :)