水

• Pinyin: shuǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 水 = pictograph of flowing water; also the radical 氵in water-related characters

Meaning

Water. The most basic word for water as a liquid.

One of the most fundamental nouns in Chinese. Used for drinking water, bodies of water, and in many compound words: 水果 (fruit, literally 'water fruit'), 喝水 (drink water), 热水 (hot water), 冷水 (cold water). In Chinese culture, drinking hot water is a deeply rooted daily habit.

Examples

1. 我想喝水。 I want to drink water.
2. 请给我一杯水。 Please give me a glass of water.
3. 多喝水对身体好。 Drinking more water is good for your health.

Usage Guide

Context: food and drink, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你要喝水吗？(Do you want some water?)
• 多喝热水。(Drink more hot water.)

Don't Say

• 我要一个水。(Wrong measure word — say 一杯水 for a glass of water or 一瓶水 for a bottle; 水 needs a container measure word)

Origin & History

A pictograph depicting flowing water. One of the oldest Chinese characters, also serving as a radical (氵) in hundreds of water-related characters.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal