水
water
Readings
On'yomi
- スイ
Kun'yomi
- みず
- みず-
Nanori
- うず
- ずみ
- つ
- ど
- み
- みさ
- みつ
- みな
- みん
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
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.