What is water in Japanese hiragana?

See also: 𣱱, 氺, 氷, 永, and 氵

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水

Stroke order

Stroke order

• 氵 (when used as a left radical)
• 氺 (when used in characters such as 泰)

水 (Kangxi radical 85, 水+0, 4 strokes, cangjie input 水 (E), four-corner 12230, composition ⿰𰛄⿺㇏丿(GJKV) or ⿰㇇𰛅(GJKV) or ⿰𰛄⿱丿㇏(HT))

Derived characters[edit]

• Appendix:Chinese radical/水
• 冰, 𪢿, 𫰖, 㝽, 𡵰, 𢗷, 𤝎, 阥, 𨑾, 𪱹, 㲑, 𤆩, 𤕯, 𡯑, 𬍖, 𦙙, 𤱄, 砅, 𧦋, 𧺵, 𫒎, 𩖱, 𬵆, 𣍤, 𩾼
• 氽, 𠕽, 𡉺, 尿, 𢇤, 𦬭, 𭥚, 𣏶, 𭻅, 㽷, 泵, 𥝸, 𥤼, 𥫸, 𨋈, 𨠊, 㞙, 𩂍, 𤦗, 𦷸, 𠪥, 𥴠, 𢦹, 閖
• 呇, 坔, 𢗨, 𤆲, 畓, 𭖜, 𧥿, 𨋉, 𨠆, 𨥗, 𭪳, 𬠤, 凼, 囦, 䠌, 潁(颍), 頮(颒), 𤸄

References[edit]

• KangXi: page 603, character 1
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 17083
• Dae Jaweon: page 992, character 9
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1545, character 1
• Unihan data for U+6C34

Further reading[edit]

Central Bai[edit]

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Noun[edit]

水 (xuix)

1. hanzi form of xuix

   • 1450, Yang Fu (楊黼), 《詞記山花——咏蒼洱境》:

     煴煊茶水㱔呼𪢂Boiling tea water, greeting each other.

Chinese[edit]

Glyph origin[edit]

Pictogram (象形) – compare 川 (chuān).

Wikipedia has articles on:

• 水 (Written Standard Chinese?)
• 水 (Cantonese)
• 水 (Classical)
• 水 (Gan)
• súi (Hakka)
• cūi (Min Dong)
• chúi (Min Nan)
• 水 (Wu)

Etymology 1[edit]

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *lwi(j) (“flow; stream”) (Benedict, 1974; Coblin, 1986; Handel, 1998; Schuessler, 2007; STEDT). Cognate with Mizo lui (“stream; brook; river”), Tedim Chin [script needed] (luːi³, “stream; river”), Jingpho lawi (“to flow (as water)”).

Old Chinese 水 (OC lhuiʔ) (minimally reconstructed) is Sino-Tibetan root's endoactive derivation with suffix *-ʔ, meaning "that which is flowing"; its voiceless initial suggests the presence of a nominalizing prefix *k- or *s-. Another derivative from the Sino-Tibetan root is possibly 泫 (OC winʔ, “to flow”) (minimally reconstructed).

Compare also areal etymon Proto-Mon-Khmer *lujʔ ~ luuj() ~ luəj() ~ ləəj() (“to wade; to swim”).

Alternatively, Gong (1995) reconstructs Old Chinese *hljədx and compares it to Tibetan ཆུ (chu, “water”), which STEDT derives from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tsju (“water; liquid; bodily fluid”). Baxter and Sagart (2014), employing evidence from Proto-Min, reconstructs Old Chinese *s.turʔ and compares it to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *twəj (“to flow; to suppurate”), which is likely related to *m-t(w)əj-n ~ m-ti-s (“water; fluid; to soak; to be wet”) (STEDT). Like Gong (1995), Sagart (2017) compares it to Tibetan ཆུ (chu), but he also compares it to Bodo (India) दै (dwi), Mizo tui, Proto-Karen *thejᴬ, all of which STEDT derives from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-t(w)əj-n ~ m-ti-s. Handel deems derivations from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tsju or *m-t(w)əj-n ~ m-ti-s unlikely because of phonological issues (STEDT).

Pronunciation[edit]

Note:

• cūi - literary (common);
• cṳ̄ - vernacular (only used in some words as the first syllable).

Note:

• chúi - vernacular;
• súi - literary.

• Old Chinese (Baxter–Sagart): /*s.turʔ/ (Zhengzhang): /*qʰʷljilʔ/

Definitions[edit]

水

2. water (Classifier: 瓶 m; 樽 c; 滴 m c; 池 m c; 盆 m c; 杯 m c) 請給我一杯水，謝謝。 [MSC, trad.]
   请给我一杯水，谢谢。 [MSC, simp.]Qǐng gěi wǒ yī bēi shuǐ, xièxiè. [Pinyin]A glass of water, please.
3. liquid; potion; juice 口水  ―  kǒushuǐ  ―  saliva 羊水  ―  yángshuǐ  ―  amniotic fluid 眼藥水／眼药水  ―  yǎnyàoshuǐ  ―  eyedrop
4. (colloquial, chiefly Singapore, Malaysia) Synonym of 飲料／饮料 (yǐnliào, “beverage”). 要叫什麼水？／要叫什么水？  ―  Yào jiào shénme shuǐ?  ―  What beverage do you want to order? 欲叫什物水？ [Hokkien]  ―  Beh kiò sím-mi̍h chúi? [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  What beverage do you want to order?
6. (archaic) river 漢水／汉水  ―  Hànshuǐ  ―  the Han River
7. body of water 水路  ―  shuǐlù  ―  waterway 三面環水／三面环水  ―  sān miàn huán shuǐ  ―  to be surrounded by (bodies of) water on three sides
8. flood 發水／发水  ―  fāshuǐ  ―  to flood
9. additional cost or income
10. (dialectal) rain
11. (Cantonese) money or hundred dollars (Classifier: 嚿) 磅水 [Cantonese]  ―  bong6 seoi2 [Jyutping]  ―  to pay 掠水 [Cantonese]  ―  loek6-1 seoi2 [Jyutping]  ―  to obtain money dishonestly 三嚿水 [Cantonese]  ―  saam1 gau6 seoi2 [Jyutping]  ―  three hundred dollars
12. (Cantonese) to fool; to deceive; to misguide
13. to swim 水性  ―  shuǐxìng  ―  swimming ability
14. (colloquial) lacking substance or power; worthless 這裡的大學太水了。 [MSC, trad.]
    这里的大学太水了。 [MSC, simp.]Zhèlǐ de dàxué tài shuǐ le. [Pinyin]The universities here are too weak.
15. Short for 划水 (huáshuǐ, “to shirk; to slack off”).
16. one of the five elements of Wu Xing (五行)
17. (colloquial) Classifier for the number of times clothing was washed.
18. Sui people 水書／水书  ―  shuǐshū  ―  Shuishu (the traditional writing system of the Sui people)
20. a surname

Synonyms[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Chinese).

Compounds[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Chinese).

Descendants[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Chinese).

Etymology 2[edit]

References[edit]

Japanese[edit]

Kanji[edit]

水

(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings[edit]

• Go-on: すい (sui, Jōyō)←すい (sui, historical)←すゐ (suwi, ancient)
• Kan-on: すい (sui, Jōyō)←すい (sui, historical)←すゐ (suwi, ancient)
• Kun: みず (mizu, 水, Jōyō)←みづ (midu, historical)
• Nanori: うず (uzu); ずみ (zumi); たいら (taira)←たひら (tafira, historical); つ (tsu); ど (do); な (na); なか (naka); み (mi); みさ (misa); みつ (mitsu); みな (mina); みん (min); ゆ (yu); ゆく (yuku)

Compounds[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Kanji.

Etymology 1[edit]

⟨mi1du⟩ → */mʲidu/ → /mid͡zu/ → /mizu/

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *mentu. Cognate with Proto-Ryukyuan *mezu.

Possibly cognate with 瑞 (mizu, “freshness, youth”).

Possible cognate with Proto-Tungusic *mū, Jurchen 木克 (mu-ke /muke/), Manchu ᠮᡠᡴᡝ (muke), Goguryeo 買 (*me, “river; water”), Mongolian мөрөн (mörön, “river”), Korean 물 (mul, “water”).

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Tokyo) みず [mìzú] (Heiban – [0])[1]
• IPA(key): [mʲizɨᵝ]

Noun[edit]

水(みず) • (mizu) ←みづ (midu)?

Usage notes[edit]

Note that, while mizu is the most general Japanese term for “water”, it does refer specifically to “water that is not hot”. Meanwhile, the word 湯 (yu) refers specifically to “hot water”. Consider 水風呂 (mizu-buro, “cold-water bath”), contrasting with 風呂 (furo, “bath”, implying hot water).

Derived terms[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Japanese).

Idioms[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Japanese).

Proverbs[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Japanese).

Prefix[edit]

水(みず) • (mizu-) ←みづ (midu)?

Derived terms[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Prefix).

Proper noun[edit]

水(みず) • (Mizu) ←みづ (midu)?

1. a female given name
2. a surname

Etymology 2[edit]

⟨mi1⟩ → */mʲi/ → /mi/

From Old Japanese.

Typically found in compounds.[2]

Affix[edit]

水(み) • (mi) 

1. Combining form of みず (mizu) above

Derived terms[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Combining form.

Etymology 3[edit]

/ɕuwi/ → */suwi/ → /sui/

From Middle Chinese 水 (MC ɕˠiuɪX).

Compare modern Mandarin 水 (shuǐ), modern Hakka 水 (súi).

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Tokyo) す​い [súꜜì] (Atamadaka – [1])[1]
• IPA(key): [sɨᵝi]

Noun[edit]

水(すい) • (sui) 

Affix[edit]

水(すい) • (sui) 

1. water
2. body of water
3. fluid, liquid
4. Short for 水素 (suiso): hydrogen

Derived terms[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (element).

Proper noun[edit]

水(すい) • (Sui) 

Etymology 4[edit]

⟨mopi1⟩ → */mopʲi/ → /moɸi/ → /mowi/ → /moi/

From Old Japanese. Via metonymy from the word 椀, 盌 (moi, “bowl”), from the meaning of “that which goes in the 椀, 盌 (moi, “bowl”)”.[1][2]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

水(もい) • (moi) ←もひ (mofi)?

1. (obsolete) drinking water

Derived terms[edit]

• 水(もい)取(とり), 主水(もいとり) (moitori)

See also[edit]

• 氷(こおり) (kōri, “ice”)
• 湯(ゆ) (yu, “hot water”)

References[edit]

From Middle Chinese 水 (MC ɕˠiuɪX).

Pronunciation[edit]

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [sʰu]
• Phonetic hangul: [수]

Hanja[edit]

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

水

Wikisource

水 (eumhun 물 수 (mul su))

Compounds[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Korean).

References[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Korean).

Lama Bai[edit]

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Noun[edit]

水 (ɕy³³)

1. hanzi form of ɕy³³ (water)

Miyako[edit]

Kanji[edit]

水

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Ryukyuan *mezu.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

水 (hiragana みず, rōmaji [[mizu, mikɯ#Miyako|mizu, mikɯ]])

References[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Miyako).

Northern Amami-Oshima[edit]

Kanji[edit]

水

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Ryukyuan *mezu.

Noun[edit]

水 (hiragana むぃずぃ, rōmaji mïzï)

Oki-No-Erabu[edit]

Kanji[edit]

水

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Ryukyuan *mezu.

Noun[edit]

水 (hiragana みじ, rōmaji miji)

References[edit]

• “みじ【水】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

Okinawan[edit]

Kanji[edit]

See also:

Category:Okinawan terms spelled with 水

水

(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings[edit]

• On: しー (shī)
• Kun: みじ (miji, 水)

Compounds[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Kanji (Okinawan).

Etymology[edit]

From earlier 水 (midu → midzu → mizu), attested in 1711 in the 混効験集 (Konkōkenshū), itself from Proto-Ryukyuan *mezu.

The word underwent a pronunciation change due to the shifting of /u/ to /i/ after alveolar consonants.

Cognate with Japanese 水 (mizu), Old Japanese 水 (mi1du).

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Shuri-Naha) み​じ[míꜜd͡ʑì] (Kakō - [1])[1]
• IPA(key): [mid͡ʑi]

Noun[edit]

水 (hiragana みじ, rōmaji miji)

Derived terms[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Okinawan).

References[edit]

1. ^ “ミジ” in Okinawa Center of Language Study, Shuri-Naha Dialect Dictionary.

• “みじ【水】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

水

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Ryukyuan *mezu.

Noun[edit]

水 (hiragana むぃでぃ, rōmaji mïdi)

Southern Bai[edit]

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Noun[edit]

水 (ɕy³³)

1. hanzi form of ɕy³³ (water)

Vietnamese[edit]

Han character[edit]

水: Hán Việt readings: thủy/thuỷ (式(thức)軌(quỹ)切(thiết))[1][2][3][4][5]
水: Nôm readings: thủy/thuỷ[1][2][4][6], nước[2]

1. chữ Hán form of thuỷ (“water”).
2. (uncommon) Nôm form of nước (“water”).

Compounds[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Vietnamese).

References[edit]

Kanji[edit]

水

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Ryukyuan *mezu.

Possibly also related to Korean 물 (mul), Middle Korean 밀 (mil, “water”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

水 (hiragana みん, rōmaji min, hiragana みーん, rōmaji mīn)

References[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Yonaguni).

Yoron[edit]

Kanji[edit]

水

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Ryukyuan *mezu.

Possibly also related to Korean 물 (mul), Middle Korean 밀 (mil, “water”).

Noun[edit]

水 (hiragana みじ, rōmaji miji)

References[edit]

• See 水/derived terms § Water (Yoron).