expression, noun
water of life; life-giving water
Literal or figurative water that sustains life. Often used in religious, mythological, or poetic contexts.
砂漠で見つけたオアシスは、まさに命の水だった。
The oasis we found in the desert was truly the water of life.
expression, noun
Idiomatic expression for strong distilled alcohol such as brandy or whisky, likening it to life-giving water.
彼は疲れた体に、命の水と称してウイスキーをあおった。
He downed some whisky, calling it the water of life, to revive his tired body.
expression, noun
Archaic euphemism for semen, now rarely used outside historical or literary contexts.
古い文献では、命の水が精液を婉曲に指すことがある。
In old texts, 命の水 can euphemistically refer to semen.
Compound of 命 (いのち, 'life') + の (possessive particle) + 水 (みず, 'water'). The phrase is a calque from European languages (e.g., Latin 'aqua vitae') for distilled spirits, and also used literally for life-sustaining water.