水
shuǐThe clear liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain and is the basis of the fluids of living organisms.
水是生命的源泉。
Water is the source of life.
In Chinese, '水' can also refer to liquids in general, not just H2O.
A liquid substance, especially when used in a specific context (e.g., 'tea water', 'hot water').
请给我一杯热水。
Please give me a cup of hot water.
In some contexts, '水' can refer to other liquids like tea or soup.
Related Phrases
💡Pro Tip
Metaphorical Usage
'水' can be used metaphorically to describe something that is abundant or flows smoothly, such as '水平' (level or skill) or '水平线' (horizontal line).
⚡Gold Rule
Basic Usage
'水' is a basic noun and is used in many everyday contexts, such as drinking, cooking, and cleaning.
📖Word Origin
The character '水' is one of the eight trigrams in the I Ching and represents the element of water. It is also one of the five elements in traditional Chinese philosophy.
📝Usage Notes
'水' is a fundamental word in Chinese and is used in many idioms and expressions. It can also be used metaphorically to represent something that flows or is abundant.