水 Water

Radical Combination

• 水

  Water

Meaning

Primary

Water

Mnemonic

The water radical and the water kanji are the same.

Hints

So it should already be clear what the kanji means. As clear as… water.

Readings

On’yomi

すい

Kun’yomi

みず

Nanori

None

Mnemonic

When you go swimming, you launch yourself into the water from a tire swing (すい). It's one of those quintessential summer memories, right? Kids swimming in a lake or pond, flying off a swing and splashing down in the water. In your mind, try to associate water with that swing to remember this reading.

Hints

Maybe it's a hot rubber tire swing burning your arms (that swing's been hanging in the sun all day), or maybe it's a rope swing grazing your palms. Either way, imagine how that feels as you fly off it, then sense the cold water of the lake or pond suddenly enveloping you. Some of the water even gets into your mouth. Imagine it tastes sweet for some reason. Why? All this sensory stuff tied to the water and swing will help you remember the すい reading later. The more vividly you imagine it the better.