手水(ちょうず)

ちょうず
noun
purification water (at a shrine)
religionculture
1. purification water; ritual hand washing
The water used to rinse the hands and mouth before worship at a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple, and the act of rinsing with it.
手水(ちょうず)で手(て)を清(きよ)める。
To purify one's hands with the water at the font.
神社(じんじゃ)でお参(まい)りする前(まえ)に手水(ちょうず)を使(つか)う。
Use the purification water before praying at the shrine.
最近(さいきん)は季節(きせつ)の花(はな)を浮(う)かべた花手水(はなちょうず)が、写真(しゃしん)映(ば)えすると人気(にんき)を集(あつ)めている。
Recently, basins with seasonal flowers floating in them have become popular as photo spots.

The reading ちょうず comes from てみず. The basin stands in a pavilion called the 手水舎(ちょうずや). Old-fashioned speech also used お手水(ちょうず) for the toilet.

Common collocations

  • 手水(ちょうず)を使(つか)う: to purify with the water
  • 手水舎(ちょうずや): purification pavilion
  • 花手水(はなちょうず): basin decorated with floating flowers

Cultural note

The usual order: hold the ladle in the right hand and rinse the left hand, then switch and rinse the right; pour water into the left palm to rinse the mouth; rinse the left hand again; tip the ladle upright so the rest runs down the handle.

general
Added 2026.10.20 22:04 · Revised 2026.10.20 22:07
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