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On'yomi
スイ
SUI
Kun'yomi
みず・みず-
mizu / mizu

water

nature

Details

Strokes4
Frequency#223
Radicalwater(4)

Stroke Order

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Strokes4

Component Breakdown

=
丿

㇇ + 亅 + 乀 + 丿

Cultural Context

Etymology

Pictograph depicting flowing water.

Symbolism

Purity, life, flexibility. Represents north and winter in Five Elements.

Spiritual Meaning

Represents cleansing and source of life, core of Shinto purification rituals. Flowing water has power to remove impurity.

Related Culture & Scenes

  • Flow of water

Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

一衣帯水

いちいたいすい

(being separated only by a) narrow strip of water; narrow strait (channel, river); (being separated only by a) narrow strip of water

我田引水

がでんいんすい

seeking one's own interests; straining (the interpretation or argument) to suit one's own interests; drawing water for one's own field; seeking one's own interests

山紫水明

さんしすいめい

scenic beauty; scenic beauty

明鏡止水

めいきょうしすい

clear and serene (as a polished mirror and still water); clear and serene (as a polished mirror and still water)

行雲流水

こううんりゅうすい

(metaphorically) floating with the tide; (metaphorically) floating with the tide

水天彷彿

すいてんほうふつ

the sky and water merging into one; seamless merging of the sea and the sky; the sky and water merging into one

落花流水

らっかりゅうすい

mutual love; the love one shows to another person being returned; mutual love

千山万水

せんざんばんすい

many mountains and rivers; a great distance to travel; many mountains and rivers

雲水行脚

うんすいあんぎゃ

itinerant monk being on pilgrimages to many lands; itinerant monk being on pilgrimages to many lands

鏡花水月

きょうかすいげつ

flowers reflected on a mirror and the moon reflected on the water's surface; something that is visible but having no substance; the subtle and profound beauty of poems that cannot be described in words; flowers reflected on a mirror and the moon reflected on the water's surface

高山流水

こうざんりゅうすい

high mountains and running water; the beauty of nature; beautifully (skillfully) played music; high mountains and running water

山容水態

さんようすいたい

scenic beauty of mountains and streams; fresh and clear beauty of nature's splendor; scenic beauty of mountains and streams

Proverbs & Idioms

水は低きに流れる

みずはひくきにながれる

Water flows to lower places

Things follow their natural course

水清ければ魚棲まず

みずきよければうおすまず

Fish do not live in pure water

Being too strict drives people away

Poetry

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

ちはやぶる 神代もきかず 竜田川 からくれなゐに 水くくるとは

Poem #17 from Hyakunin Isshu

在原業平朝臣Ariwara no Narihira
9th century