水: the kanji for water
水 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means water. Below are its readings, 13 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
水 is written in 4 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
水 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 12 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
スイ (sui)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 水曜日すいようび · suiyōbi | Wednesday |
| 水道すいどう · suidō | water supply |
| 水分すいぶん · suibun | moisture; fluids |
| 水泳すいえい · suiei | swimming |
| 香水こうすい · kōsui | perfume |
| 水準すいじゅん · suijun | level; standard |
| 洪水こうずい · kōzui | flood |
| 水族館すいぞくかん · suizokukan | aquarium |
| 下水げすい · gesui | sewage |
みず (mizu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 水みず · mizu | water |
| 水色みずいろ · mizuiro | light blue |
| 水着みずぎ · mizugi | swimsuit |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 水, but their readings do not follow the readings above. The Jōyō Kanji Table lists them as special readings. Learn each one as a whole word.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 清水しみず · shimizu | spring water |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 水曜日は在宅勤務です。Suiyōbi wa zaitaku kinmu desu.I work from home on Wednesdays.
- お水をください。Omizu o kudasai.Water, please.
- 水道代を払いました。Suidōdai o haraimashita.I paid the water bill.
- 暑い日は水分をとってください。Atsui hi wa suibun o totte kudasai.Please drink plenty of fluids on hot days.
- 品質は高い水準にあります。Hinshitsu wa takai suijun ni arimasu.The quality is at a high level.
- 週末に水族館へ行きました。Shūmatsu ni suizokukan e ikimashita.I went to the aquarium on the weekend.
Questions about 水
How many strokes does 水 have?
水 is written in 4 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 水?
The on readings are sui (スイ). The kun readings are mizu (みず).
How do you ask for water at a restaurant?
Say お水をください (omizu o kudasai, Water, please).
What JLPT level is 水?
N5. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Days and time
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 水
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.