Water in Japanese
"water" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
水
mizu
4 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "water". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
水 is water plainly. 湯 is hot water, and it alone is what a bath or a hot spring holds. 潮 is the tide, 汐 the evening tide specifically. 澪 is the channel a boat can pass through, a quiet word used in names. Japanese separates water by what it is doing, not by what it is made of.
Top pick
water
Reading: sui
4 strokes · nature
Where it comes from
Pictograph depicting flowing water.
What it carries
Purity, life, flexibility. Represents north and winter in Five Elements.
Related kanji for "water"
water
tou · nature
Composed of water and phonetic. Hot water.
water
chou · nature
Composed of water and morning. Water of morning.
water
rei · nature
Combines 'water' (氵) with 'spirit' (霊), representing deep water channels for ships—waterways.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for water?
The most common kanji for "water" is 水, read as sui. It means water. Related kanji: 湯 (water), 潮 (water), 澪 (water).
How many strokes does 水 have?
水 has 4 strokes.