开水

• Pinyin: kāi shuǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 开 = to open/reach (here: reach boiling point); 水 = water (three flowing lines) — water that has reached its boiling point

Meaning

Boiled water; boiling water. Refers specifically to water that has been brought to a boil, either still hot or cooled after boiling.

A very common concept in Chinese daily life. 开水 can refer to actively boiling water or water that has been boiled and cooled (凉开水 cool boiled water). Drinking boiled water is considered healthy in Chinese culture. It is typically used for making tea, taking medicine, or simply as a safe drinking water.

Examples

1. 请给我倒一杯开水，我要吃药。 Please pour me a cup of boiled water — I need to take my medicine.
2. 烧开水至少需要等几分钟。 Boiling water takes at least a few minutes.
3. 她习惯每天早上喝一杯凉开水。 She has the habit of drinking a cup of cool boiled water every morning.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, health, home

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 别直接喝自来水，要喝开水。(Don't drink tap water directly — drink boiled water.)
• 热开水放一会儿就可以喝了。(Let the boiling water cool down a bit and then you can drink it.)

Don't Say

• 我喝了开水的茶 (Don't use 开水的茶 — say 用开水泡的茶 (tea brewed with boiled water); 开水 is a standalone noun, not an attributive for tea types)

Origin & History

A compound of 开 (open; here meaning brought to the point of boiling, as in 烧开 to boil) and 水 (water), literally 'opened water' — water that has reached the boiling point.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal