noun
water radical; radical 85
Refers to the three-stroke water radical 氵, used on the left side of many kanji related to water or liquid.
「海」や「池」の左側の部分を三水といいます。
The left-hand part of 海 or 池 is called 三水.
Colloquial, originally police jargon. Refers to bribery or illicit profit, especially in official contexts.
あの政治家は三水で捕まったらしい。
That politician was apparently caught for corruption.
noun
Dated slang for alcohol. Rarely used today; modern speakers would normally say 酒 or アルコール.
昔のスラングで、酒のことを三水と言うことがあった。
In old slang, alcohol was sometimes called 三水.
The radical name 三水 literally means 'three water', referring to the three dots of the water radical 氵. The slang meanings are likely derived from the water association (corruption as 'dirty money' and alcohol as a liquid), but the exact derivation is uncertain.