水
shuǐ
water
surname Shui; (after a name) ... River; to swim (used mostly in 會水|会水[hui4 shui3] and 水性[shui3 xing4]); (coll.) lacking in substance; shoddy; (bound form) additional cost; extra income; classifier for washings of a garment
a picture of 水 → flowing water
The character originally depicted a flowing river with curves and ripples between its banks. From this concrete image of flowing water came all the extended meanings: rivers, swimming, and even metaphorical uses like 'watery' or insubstantial.
你渴了吗？桌上有水，自己倒。
nǐ kě le ma？zhuō shàng yǒu shuǐ，zì jǐ dào。
Are you thirsty? There is water on the table, pour it yourself.
这件衬衫洗了两水还是有点脏。
zhè jiàn chèn shān xǐ le liǎng shuǐ hái shì yǒu diǎn zāng。
This shirt has been through two washings and is still a bit dirty.
Words with 水
吸水
xī shuǐ
absorbent
水兵
shuǐ bīng
enlisted sailor in navy
水禽
shuǐ qín
waterfowl
水肺
shuǐ fèi
scuba
汽水
qì shuǐ
soda pop; carbonated soft drink
顺水
shùn shuǐ
with the current
杯水车薪
bēi shuǐ chē xīn
lit. a cup of water on a burning cart of firewood (idiom); fig. an utterly inadequate measure
废水
fèi shuǐ
waste water
水蛭
shuǐ zhì
leech
糖水
táng shuǐ
syrup
洗发水
xǐ fà shuǐ
shampoo (liquid)
流水线
liú shuǐ xiàn
assembly line