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Last edited 22 Sep 2022

Sink v basin


Kitchen sink	Wash hand basin

The words sink and basin are often used interchangeably, however, there are differences between the two.

Technically, the word sink refers to a sanitary appliance used to wash things, such as hands, dishes and so on, that consists of:

A basin, which is a bowl that contains the water.
Taps to control the supply of hot and cold water to the basin.
A plugged drain connected via a trap to the plumbing systems to remove the used water, and generally including an overflow prevention mechanism.
A support system such as a cabinet, pedestal, countertop, legs or brackets.

This means that a basin is part of a sink.

However, the term wash hand basin (WHB), sometimes referred to as a washbasin, handbasin, basin or washbowl, can be used to refer specifically to a basin, generally found in a bathroom or toilet, that is used for washing hands and face, brushing teeth etc. Whilst, technically, this still refers only to the basin itself, rather than the entire sink assembly, it is sometimes used to refer to the entire assembly in a bathroom, while the word ‘sink’ is used to refer to the more utilitarian appliance found in a kitchen, utility room, garden and so on.