水(みず)

水(みず) refers to water—the essential liquid for life, used for drinking, washing, and many other purposes.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

• 水(みず)を飲(の)む: to drink water
• 水(みず)をかける: to pour water on
• 水(みず)に流(なが)す: to let bygones be bygones (idiom)
• お水(みず): water (polite, often in restaurants)

COMPOUNDS:

• 水曜日(すいようび): Wednesday
• 水道(すいどう): water supply, tap water
• 洪水(こうずい): flood
• 水泳(すいえい): swimming
• 水着(みずぎ): swimsuit
• 水分(すいぶん): moisture, water content
• 冷水(れいすい): cold water

CULTURAL NOTE:
水(みず) is one of the five elements (五行(ごぎょう)) in East Asian philosophy.

SIMILAR WORDS:

• お湯(ゆ): hot water
• 湯(ゆ): hot water (often for bathing)