水

水 U+6C34, 水 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6C34 ← 氳 [U+6C33] CJK Unified Ideographs 氵 → [U+6C35]

Translingual

Stroke order

Alternative forms

• 氵 (when used as a left Chinese radical)

Han character

水 (Kangxi radical 85, 水+0, 4 strokes, cangjie input 水 (E), four-corner 1223₀)

1. Kangxi radical #85, ⽔.

Derived characters

• Index:Chinese radical/水
• 尿 𤆩 𤆲

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 603, character 1
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 17083
• Dae Jaweon: page 992, character 9
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1545, character 1
• Unihan data for U+6C34

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Chinese

simp. and trad.		水

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 水
Shang	Western Zhou	Warring States			Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (水) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
沝	*qʷljilʔ
水	*qʰʷljilʔ

Pictogram (象形) – compare 川.

Etymology 1

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *lwi(j) (“flow; stream”).

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): shuǐ (shui³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄨㄟˇ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): sui³

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): seoi²

  File:Yue-seoi2.ogg

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): sui²

• Gan (Wiktionary): sui³
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): súi

  (Meixian, Guangdong): sui³

• Jin (Wiktionary): sui²
• Eastern Min (BUC): cūi
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): chúi / súi

  (Teochew, Peng'im): zui²

  File:Nan-teochew-zui2.ogg

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁵sy
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): xyei³

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shuǐ
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄨㄟˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shuěi
    • Wade–Giles: shui³
    • Yale: shwěi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shoei
    • Palladius: шуй (šuj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: sui³
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: sui
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /suei⁵³/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: seoi²
    • Yale: séui
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soey²
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêu²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɵy̯³⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: sui²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sui⁵⁵/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: sui³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sui²¹³/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: súi
    • Hakka Romanization System: sui`
    • Hagfa Pinyim: sui³
    • Sinological IPA: /su̯i³¹/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: sui³
    • Sinological IPA: /suɪ³¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: sui²
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /suei⁵³/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: cūi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sui³³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chúi / súi
    • Tâi-lô: tsuí / suí
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zuie, suie
    • IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sui⁵³/, /sui⁵³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sui⁵⁵⁴/, /sui⁵⁵⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sui⁵³/, /sui⁵³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /t͡sui⁵³/, /sui⁵³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sui⁴¹/, /sui⁴¹/

Note:

• chúi - vernacular;
• súi - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: zui²
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tsúi
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sui⁵²/
• Wu
  • (Shanghai):
    • Wugniu: ⁵sy
    • MiniDict: sy^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²sr
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /sz̩³⁴/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: xyei³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕy̯e̞i̯⁴¹/

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• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 水
Mandarin	Beijing	/ʂuei²¹⁴/
	Harbin	/ʂuei²¹³/ /suei²¹³/
	Tianjin	/suei¹³/
	Jinan	/ʂuei⁵⁵/
	Qingdao	/ʂue⁵⁵/
	Zhengzhou	/ʂuei⁵³/
	Xi'an	/fei⁵³/
	Xining	/fɨ⁵³/
	Yinchuan	/ʂuei⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/fei⁴⁴²/
	Ürümqi	/ʂuei⁵¹/ /fei⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/suei⁴²/
	Chengdu	/suei⁵³/
	Guiyang	/suei⁴²/
	Kunming	/ʂuei⁵³/
	Nanjing	/ʂuəi²¹²/
	Hefei	/ʂue²⁴/
Jin	Taiyuan	/suei⁵³/
	Pingyao	/suei⁵³/
	Hohhot	/suei⁵³/
Wu	Shanghai	/sz̩³⁵/
	Suzhou	/sz̩ʷ⁵¹/
	Hangzhou	/sz̩ʷei⁵³/
	Wenzhou	/sz̩³⁵/
Hui	Shexian	/ɕye³⁵/ /ɕy³⁵/
	Tunxi	/ɕy³¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/ɕyei⁴¹/
	Xiangtan	/ɕyəi⁴²/
Gan	Nanchang	/sui²¹³/
Hakka	Meixian	/sui³¹/
	Taoyuan	/ʃui³¹/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/søy³⁵/
	Nanning	/sui³⁵/
	Hong Kong	/søy³⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/sui⁵³/ /t͡sui⁵³/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/t͡suoi³²/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/sy²¹/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/t͡sui⁵³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/sui³¹/ /tui²¹³/

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• Middle Chinese: sywijX

Rime
Character	水
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	書 (26)
Final (韻)	脂 (18)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	式軌切
Baxter	sywijX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɕˠiuɪX/
Pan Wuyun	/ɕʷᵚiX/
Shao Rongfen	/ɕiuɪX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɕjwiX/
Li Rong	/ɕjuiX/
Wang Li	/ɕwiX/
Bernard Karlgren	/ɕwiX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	shuǐ
Expected Cantonese Reflex	seoi2

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*s.turʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*qʰʷljilʔ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	水
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	shuǐ
Middle Chinese	‹ sywijX ›
Old Chinese	/*s.turʔ/ (E dialect: *-r > *-j)
English	water; river
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	水
Reading #	1/1
No.	11948
Phonetic component	水
Rime group	脂
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	水
Old Chinese	/*qʰʷljilʔ/

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 水

1. water

   • 請給我一杯水，謝謝。 [MSC, trad.]
     请给我一杯水，谢谢。 [MSC, simp.]

     Qǐng gěi wǒ yī bēi shuǐ, xièxiè. [Pinyin]

     A glass of water, please.

2. liquid; potion; juice

   口水  ―  kǒushuǐ  ―  saliva

   • 羊水  ―  yángshuǐ  ―  amniotic fluid
   • 眼藥水／眼药水  ―  yǎnyàoshuǐ  ―  eyedrop
3. river

   漢水／汉水  ―  Hànshuǐ  ―  the Han River

4. body of water
5. waterway
6. flood
7. additional cost or income
8. Classifier for the number of times clothing was washed.
9. a surname
10. Sui people
    • 水書／水书  ―  shuǐshū  ―  Shuishu (the traditional writing system of the Sui people)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (水):

• → Japanese: 水(すい) (sui)
• → Korean: 수(水) (su)
• → Vietnamese: thuỷ (水)

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of 水 – see 媠 (“Min Nan: pretty; beautiful”). (This character is a variant form of 媠).

(deprecated template usage)

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Japanese

Kanji

水

(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. (cold) water
2. “water” radical (みず)

Readings

• Go-on: すい (sui, Jōyō)^{←すゐ (swi, historical)}
• Kan-on: すい (sui, Jōyō)^{←すゐ (swi, historical)}
• Kun: みず (mizu, 水, Jōyō)^{←みづ (midu, 水, historical)}
• Nanori: うず (uzu, 水); ずみ (zumi, 水); つ (tsu, 水); ど (do, 水); み (mi, 水); みさ (misa, 水); みつ (mitsu, 水); みな (mina, 水); みん (min, 水)

Compounds

Compounds

• 水位(すいい) (suii): water level
• 水域(すいいき) (suiiki): water area
• 水稲(すいとう) (suitō): wetland rice
• 水泳(すいえい) (suiei): swimming
• 水温(すいおん) (suion): water temperature
• 水害(すいがい) (suigai): water damage
• 水割(みずわ)り (mizuwari): whiskey diluted with water
• 水気(みずけ) (mizuke): moisture
• 水牛(すいぎゅう) (suigyū): water buffalo
• 水玉(みずたま) (mizutama): polka dot
• 水銀(すいぎん) (suigin): mercury
• 水系(すいけい) (suikei): drainage system
• 水源(すいげん) (suigen): river source
• 水口(みずぐち) (mizuguchi): spout
• 水彩画(すいさいが) (suisaiga): watercolor painting
• 水際(みずぎわ) (mizugiwa): beach
• 水産(すいさん) (suisan): marine products
• 水産業(すいさんぎょう) (suisangyō): fisheries industry
• 水産庁(すいさんちょう) (suisanchō): Fisheries Agency
• 水産物(すいさんぶつ) (suisanbutsu): marine products
• 水死(すいし) (suishi): drowning
• 水質(すいしつ) (suishitsu): water quality
• 水車(すいしゃ) (suisha): water wheel
• 水臭(みずくさ)い (mizukusai): standoffish
• 水準(すいじゅん) (suijun): standard
• 水晶(すいしょう) (suishō): crystal
• 水上(すいじょう) (suijō): aquatic
• 水蒸気(すいじょうき) (suijōki): steam
• 水色(みずいろ) (mizuiro): light blue
• 水浸(みずびた)し (mizubitashi): flooded out
• 水深(すいしん) (suishin): water depth
• 水星(すいせい) (suisei): Mercury (planet)
• 水仙(すいせん) (suisen): daffodil
• 水洗(すいせん) (suisen): flushing
• 水素(すいそ) (suiso): hydrogen
• 水槽(すいそう) (suisō): water tank
• 水増(みずま)し (mizumashi): inflation
• 水族館(すいぞくかん) (suizokukan): aquarium
• 水着(みずぎ) (mizugi): bathing suit

• 水中(すいちゅう) (suichū): underwater
• 水鳥(すいちょう) (suichō): waterfowl
• 水滴(すいてき) (suiteki): water drop
• 水田(すいでん) (suiden): paddy field
• 水筒(すいとう) (suitō): canteen
• 水道(すいどう) (suidō): water service
• 水入(みずい)らず (mizuirazu): with no outsiders present
• 水爆(すいばく) (suibaku): hydrogen bomb
• 水分(すいぶん) (suibun): moisture
• 水平(すいへい) (suihei): level
• 水平線(すいへいせん) (suiheisen): horizon
• 水辺(すいへん) (suihen): waterside
• 水泡(すいほう) (suihō): foam
• 水墨画(すいぼくが) (suibokuga): India ink painting
• 水俣病(みなまたびょう) (minamatabyō): Minamata disease
• 水面(すいめん) (suimen): water surface
• 水揚(みずあ)げ (mizuage): landing
• 水曜(すいよう) (suiyō): Wednesday
• 水曜日(すいようび) (suiyōbi): Wednesday
• 水溶性(すいようせい) (suiyōsei): water soluble
• 水利(すいり) (suiri): water supply
• 水量(すいりょう) (suiryō): water volume
• 水力(すいりょく) (suiryoku): water power
• 水路(すいろ) (suiro): waterway
• 水道水(すいどうすい) (suidōsui): tap water
• 水洗(みずあら)い (mizuarai): washing with water
• 水飴(みずあめ) (mizuame): starch syrup
• 水資源(みずしげん) (mizushigen): water resources
• 水仕事(みずしごと) (mizushigoto): kitchen work
• 水商売(みずしょうばい) (mizushōbai): chancy trade
• 潜水艦(せんすいかん) (sensuikan): submarine
• 高水準(こうすいじゅん) (kōsuijun): high level
• 低水準(ていすいじゅん) (teisuijun): low level; substandard, inferior
• 貯水池(ちょすいち) (chosuichi): reservoir
• 下水道(げすいどう) (gesuidō): sewer
• 原水爆(げんすいばく) (gensuibaku): atom and hydrogen bomb
• 海水浴(かいすいよく) (kaisuiyoku): sea bathing
• 海水浴場(かいすいよくじょう) (kaisuiyokujō): swimming area

• 降水量(こうすいりょう) (kōsuiryō): precipitation
• 炭水化物(たんすいかぶつ) (tansuikabutsu): carbohydrates
• 雨水(あまみず) (amamizu): rain water
• 飲料水(いんりょうすい) (inryōsui): drinking water
• 大水(おおみず) (ōmizu): flood
• 汚水(おすい) (osui): sewage
• 海水(かいすい) (kaisui): ocean water
• 渇水(かっすい) (kassui): water shortage
• 給水(きゅうすい) (kyūsui): water supply
• 下水(げすい) (gesui): drainage
• 香水(こうすい) (kōsui): perfume
• 降水(こうすい) (kōsui): precipitation
• 洪水(こうずい) (kōzui): flood
• 湖水(こすい) (kosui): lake
• 誘(さそ)い水(みず) (sasoimizu): pump priming
• 塩水(しおみず) (shiomizu): salt water
• 取水(しゅすい) (shusui): drawing water from river or lake
• 浸水(しんすい) (shinsui): flood
• 浄水(じょうすい) (jōsui): clean water
• 泉水(せんすい) (sensui): fountain
• 潜水(せんすい) (sensui): diving
• 増水(ぞうすい) (zōsui): high water
• 淡水(たんすい) (tansui): fresh water
• 脱水(だっすい) (dassui): evaporation
• 断水(だんすい) (dansui): water outage
• 地下水(ちかすい) (chikasui): underground water
• 治水(ちすい) (chisui): flood control
• 貯水(ちょすい) (chosui): water storage
• 飲(の)み水(みず) (nomimizu): drinking water
• 排水(はいすい) (haisui): drainage
• 噴水(ふんすい) (funsui): water fountain
• 放水(ほうすい) (hōsui): drainage
• 防水(ぼうすい) (bōsui): tarpaulin
• 湧水(ゆうすい) (yūsui): water welling
• 用水(ようすい) (yōsui): irrigation water
• 呼(よ)び水(みず) (yobimizu): pump priming
• 冷水(れいすい) (reisui): cold water
• 水疱(すいほう) (suihō): blister
• 水鶏(くいな) (kuina), 水鶏(すいけい) (suikei): rail; water rail

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
水
み Grade: 1
kun’yomi

/mi₁/ → /mi/

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Japanese. Typically found in compounds. May be a contraction of mizu below.

Noun

水(み) • (mi) 

1. water

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 港(みなと) (minato)
• 湊(みなと) (minato)
• 源(みなもと) (minamoto)
• 澪(みお) (mio)
• 水面(みなも) (minamo)
• 水泡(みなわ) (minawa)
• 水底(みなそこ) (minasoko)
• 水無月(みなづき) (minazuki)
• 漲(みなぎ)る (minagiru)
• 水上(みなかみ) (minakami)
• 泉(いずみ) (izumi)
• 溝(みぞ) (mizo)
• 汀(みぎわ) (migiwa)
• 満(み)たす (mitasu)
• 霙(みぞれ) (mizore)
• 海(うみ) (umi)
• 溝(みぞ) (mizo)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
水
みず Grade: 1
kun’yomi

/mi₁du/ → /midu/ → /mid͡zu → /mizu/

From Old Japanese. Possibly cognate with Korean 물 (mul, “water”); compare Middle Korean 밀 (mil, “water”).

Noun

水(みず) • (mizu) ^{←みづ (midu)?}

1. water (cold, fresh)
2. a fluid; a liquid
3. a flood
4. halting in sumo

Derived terms

Derived terms

Names

• 水魚(みお) (Mio); 水魚(みずな) (Mizuna)
• 水月(みずき) (Mizuki); 水月(すいげつ) (Suigetsu); 水月(みずつき) (Mizutsuki); 水月(みつき) (Mitsuki); 水月(みづき) (Mizuki)
• 水彩(すいさい) (Suisai); 水彩(みさ) (Misa); 水彩(みさい) (Misai); 水彩(みどり) (Midori)
• 水成(みずなり) (Mizunari)
• 水村(みずむら) (Mizumura); 水村(みすむら) (Misumura); 水村(みづむら) (Mizumura); 水村(みむら) (Mimura)

Idioms

Idioms

• 水入(みずい)らずで (mizu irazu de): by ourselves
• 水到(みずいた)りて渠成(きょな)る (mizu itarite kyonaru): as time flows, everything falls into place
• 水(みず)を差(さ)す (mizu o sasu): put a damper (on); throw a wet blanket (on) (lit. pour water on)

Prefix

水(みず) or 水(prefix) • (mizu or prefix) ^{←みづ (midu)?}[[Category:Japanese
|みす']]

1. water

Related terms

• 瑞(みず) (mizu-): young and fresh

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
水
すい Grade: 1
on’yomi

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle Chinese 水 (sywij^X, “water”).

Noun

水(すい) • (sui) 

1. one of the five classical elements in traditional Chinese philosophy and medicine: see the "Wu Xing" entry on Wikipedia

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
水
もい Grade: 1
irregular

From the meaning of “that which goes in the 盌 (moi, “bowl”)”.

Noun

水(もい) • (moi) ^{←もひ (mofi)?}

1. drinking water

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Korean

Hanja

水 • (su)

• Eumhun:
  • Sound (hangeul): 수 (revised: su, McCune–Reischauer: su, Yale: swu)
  • Name (hangeul): 물
    (revised: mul, McCune–Reischauer: mul, Yale: mul)

1. (물 수, mul-): water
2. (as an abbreviation) Wednesday

Compounds

• 湖水 (호수, hosu)

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Miyako

Kanji

水 (hiragana みず, romaji mizu, mikɯ)

Etymology

Cognate with mainland Japanese 水 (mizu), (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Japanese 水 (midu).

Noun

水 (hiragana みず, romaji mizu, mikɯ)

1. water

References

• http://rlang.lib.u-ryukyu.ac.jp/rlang/myk/details.php?ID=MY14438

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Mulam

Noun

水 (nəm4)

1. water

References

• ABVD: Mulam of Dongmen and of Siba

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Northern Amami-Oshima

Kanji

水 (hiragana むぃずぃ, romaji mïzï)

Etymology

Cognate with mainland Japanese 水 (mizu), (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Japanese 水 (midu).

Noun

水 (hiragana むぃずぃ, romaji mïzï)

1. water

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Oki-No-Erabu

Kanji

水 (hiragana みじ, romaji miji)

Etymology

Cognate with mainland Japanese 水 (mizu), (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Japanese 水 (midu).

Noun

水 (hiragana みじ, romaji miji)

1. water

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Okinawan

Kanji

水 (hiragana みじ, romaji miji)

Compounds

Compounds

• 大水 (うーみじ, ūmiji): flood
• 水牛 (みじうし, mijiushi): water buffalo
• 水鶏 (くみらー, kumirā): waterfowl
• 山原水鶏 (やんばるくみらー, yanbarukumirā): Okinawa rail

Etymology

From earlier 水 (みづ, midzu/midu), attested in 1711 in the Konkoukenshuu (混効験集). The word underwent a pronunciation change due to the shifting of /u/ to /i/ after alveolar consonants. Cognate with mainland Japanese 水 (mizu), (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Japanese 水 (midu).

Pronunciation

• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) IPA^(key): /mid͡ʑi/

Noun

水 (hiragana みじ, romaji miji)

1. water

Derived terms

• 大水 (うーみじ, ūmiji): flood
• 水牛 (みじうし, mijiushi): water buffalo

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Southern Amami-Oshima

Kanji

水 (hiragana むぃでぃ, romaji mïdi)

Etymology

Cognate with mainland Japanese 水 (mizu), (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Japanese 水 (midu).

Noun

水 (hiragana むぃでぃ, romaji mïdi)

1. water

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Vietnamese

Han character

水: Hán Việt readings: thủy/thuỷ, lương, nhượng

1. water

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Yonaguni

Kanji

水 (hiragana みん, romaji min)

Etymology

Cognate with mainland Japanese 水 (mizu), (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Japanese 水 (midu). Possibly also related to (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Korean 물 (mul, “water”), Middle Korean 밀 (mil, “water”).

Noun

水 (hiragana みん, romaji min)

1. water

References

• The Languages of Japan and Korea (2012), section Yonaguni, page 415 (as miɴ)

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Yoron

Kanji

水 (hiragana みじ, romaji miji)

Etymology

Cognate with mainland Japanese 水 (mizu), (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Japanese 水 (midu). Possibly also related to (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Korean 물 (mul, “water”), Middle Korean 밀 (mil, “water”).

Noun

水 (hiragana みじ, romaji miji)

1. water

References

• JLect