水
water
Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
㇇ + 亅 + 乀 + 丿
Cultural Context
Etymology
Pictograph depicting flowing water.
Symbolism
Purity, life, flexibility. Represents north and winter in Five Elements.
Spiritual Meaning
Represents cleansing and source of life, core of Shinto purification rituals. Flowing water has power to remove impurity.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Flow of water
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
一衣帯水
いちいたいすい
(being separated only by a) narrow strip of water; narrow strait (channel, river); (being separated only by a) narrow strip of water
我田引水
がでんいんすい
seeking one's own interests; straining (the interpretation or argument) to suit one's own interests; drawing water for one's own field; seeking one's own interests
山紫水明
さんしすいめい
scenic beauty; scenic beauty
明鏡止水
めいきょうしすい
clear and serene (as a polished mirror and still water); clear and serene (as a polished mirror and still water)
行雲流水
こううんりゅうすい
(metaphorically) floating with the tide; (metaphorically) floating with the tide
水天彷彿
すいてんほうふつ
the sky and water merging into one; seamless merging of the sea and the sky; the sky and water merging into one
落花流水
らっかりゅうすい
mutual love; the love one shows to another person being returned; mutual love
千山万水
せんざんばんすい
many mountains and rivers; a great distance to travel; many mountains and rivers
雲水行脚
うんすいあんぎゃ
itinerant monk being on pilgrimages to many lands; itinerant monk being on pilgrimages to many lands
鏡花水月
きょうかすいげつ
flowers reflected on a mirror and the moon reflected on the water's surface; something that is visible but having no substance; the subtle and profound beauty of poems that cannot be described in words; flowers reflected on a mirror and the moon reflected on the water's surface
高山流水
こうざんりゅうすい
high mountains and running water; the beauty of nature; beautifully (skillfully) played music; high mountains and running water
山容水態
さんようすいたい
scenic beauty of mountains and streams; fresh and clear beauty of nature's splendor; scenic beauty of mountains and streams
Proverbs & Idioms
水は低きに流れる
みずはひくきにながれる
Water flows to lower places
Things follow their natural course
水清ければ魚棲まず
みずきよければうおすまず
Fish do not live in pure water
Being too strict drives people away
Poetry
ちはやぶる 神代もきかず 竜田川 からくれなゐに 水くくるとは
Poem #17 from Hyakunin Isshu