How to say “water” in Chinese
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
Tone tip
To order it, add a measure word: 一杯水 (yì bēi shuǐ), 'a glass of water'. 热水 (rè shuǐ) is hot water, the default served in China.
In a sentence
服务员，请给我一杯水。
Fúwùyuán, qǐng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ.
Waiter, please bring me a glass of water.
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do you say "water" in Chinese?+
"water" in Mandarin Chinese is 水, pronounced shuǐ. To order it, add a measure word: 一杯水 (yì bēi shuǐ), 'a glass of water'. 热水 (rè shuǐ) is hot water, the default served in China.
What does 水 mean literally?+
水 breaks down as 水 (shuǐ) = water. Together it means "water".
How do I get the tones right in shuǐ?+
To order it, add a measure word: 一杯水 (yì bēi shuǐ), 'a glass of water'. 热水 (rè shuǐ) is hot water, the default served in China.
More phrases like this
Master the tones behind it
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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See all the phrases on the how to say things in Chinese index, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.