水面(みなも)

Reading distinction

• 水面(みなも): poetic/literary reading (this entry)
• 水面(すいめん): common/technical reading

The reading みなも evokes a literary, visual quality and is preferred in poetry, fiction, and descriptions of natural beauty. The reading すいめん is used in everyday speech and scientific contexts.

Common collocations

• 水面(みなも)に映(うつ)る: to be reflected on the water's surface
• 水面(みなも)が揺(ゆ)れる: the water's surface ripples
• 水面(みなも)に光(ひかり)が差(さ)す: light falls on the water's surface
• 水面(みなも)を渡(わた)る風(かぜ): wind crossing the water's surface

Etymology

From 水(み) (water, archaic reading) + な (archaic possessive particle) + 面(も) (surface, archaic reading). The classical Japanese reading gives it a more poetic quality than the on'yomi すいめん.