水
水 means “water” in Japanese. The character originally represents flowing water, making it one of the clearest nature-related kanji.
Reading
On’yomi: スイ (sui)
Kun’yomi: みず (mizu)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 水 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | water |
| Stroke Count | 4 |
| JLPT Level | N5 |
How to Understand This Kanji
水 is used for water itself, for Wednesday in 水曜日, and as the basis of many water-related words. Its radical form 氵 appears in kanji connected with liquids, rivers, seas, and flowing movement.
Common Words
- 水（みず / mizu） — water
- 水曜日（すいようび / suiyōbi） — Wednesday
- 水道（すいどう / suidō） — water supply, tap water
- 水泳（すいえい / suiei） — swimming
- 飲料水（いんりょうすい / inryōsui） — drinking water
- 洪水（こうずい / kōzui） — flood
Example Sentences
-
水を一杯ください。
みずをいっぱいください。 / Mizu o ippai kudasai.
Please give me a glass of water.
-
水曜日に水泳の授業があります。
すいようびにすいえいのじゅぎょうがあります。 / Suiyōbi ni suiei no jugyō ga arimasu.
I have a swimming class on Wednesday.
-
川の水がとてもきれいです。
かわのみずがとてもきれいです。 / Kawa no mizu ga totemo kirei desu.
The river water is very clear.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
The standalone reading is みず. In compounds, すい is common, as in 水曜日, 水道, and 水泳. Recognizing the 氵 radical will help you guess the meaning of many later kanji such as 海, 池, and 泳.
Summary
水 means water and is essential for everyday words, weekday names, and water-related radicals.