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Kotomora

水

water

JLPTN5StatusJōyō · grade 1FrequencyTop 500Strokes4

Readings

On'yomi

  • スイ

Kun'yomi

  • みず
  • みず-

Nanori

  • うず
  • ずみ
  • つ
  • ど

Meaning

水 centers on water as a substance: the liquid itself, bodies of water, and anything fluid or aqueous.

Most common words using 水

24 of 1,493
  • 水みず
    N5

    water (esp. cool or cold)

  • 水着みずぎ
    N3

    bathing suit; swimsuit; swimmers

  • 水道すいどう
    N4

    water supply; water service; waterworks; tap water

  • 水素すいそ
    N2

    hydrogen (H)

  • 水分すいぶん
    N3

    water; liquid; fluid; moisture; humidity; sap; juice

  • 水準すいじゅん
    N3

    level; standard

  • 水曜日すいようび
    N5

    Wednesday

  • 潜水せんすい
    N1

    diving; submerging; going underwater

  • 水泳すいえい
    N4

    swimming

  • 水平すいへい
    N2

    horizontal; level; even

  • 香水こうすい
    N3

    perfume; scent

  • 排水はいすい
    N1

    drainage; draining; pumping out (water); sewerage

  • 水中すいちゅう
    N1

    underwater

  • 水族館すいぞくかん
    N3

    aquarium (building)

  • 水曜すいよう
    N2

    Wednesday

  • 洪水こうずい
    N1

    flood; flooding

  • 水槽すいそう

    water tank; cistern

  • 水色みずいろ
    N1

    light blue; pale blue; aqua

  • 水面すいめん
    N1

    water's surface

  • 水上すいじょう

    on the water; aquatic

  • 水産すいさん
    N2

    aquatic products; fisheries

  • 海水かいすい
    N1

    seawater; saltwater

  • 防水ぼうすい
    N1

    waterproofing; making watertight

  • 水晶すいしょう

    (rock) crystal; high purity quartz

Explore all words using 水 →

Study

Etymology

水 is a pictograph of flowing water, with the central stroke representing the main current and the side strokes suggesting ripples or splashes.

Meaning mnemonic

The central vertical stroke is a stream of water, and the four side strokes are splashes or ripples. Together they form the character for water.

Reading mnemonic

For スイ, imagine a swan gliding on the water: swan -> スイ, and the swan's smooth movement matches the flowing shape of 水.