Chinese phrases
How to say water in Chinese
Water in Chinese is 水 (shuǐ). In a restaurant, a plain 水 often brings hot or warm water, so say 冰水 if you want it cold.
水
water
Ways to say water
水
Everydaywater
The general word. Ask for 水 in a restaurant and you will often get it hot.
热水
Everydayhot water
What many homes and restaurants serve, all year. You also hear 多喝热水, “drink more hot water,” the standard advice for a cold.
温水
Everydaywarm water
Between hot and cold. Ask for it when hot water is too hot to drink.
开水
Everydayboiled water
Water that has been boiled, usually still hot. Trains and stations have 开水 dispensers for tea and instant noodles.
冰水
Everydayiced water
Not every restaurant has it. 冰的, “a cold one,” often gets you a cold bottle instead.
矿泉水
Everydaymineral water; bottled water
Bottled water from a shop or a restaurant fridge. Most people use it for any bottled water.
How to ask
可以给我一杯水吗
could I have a glass of water?
Polite, in a restaurant or a café.
来一瓶矿泉水
a bottle of water, please
How people order. 来 here means “I’ll have.”
麻烦加点水
could you top up the water?
For a refill of water or tea. 麻烦 makes it a polite request.
常温的
room-temperature (one)
For a bottle that is neither cold nor hot. Shops often ask if you want it 冰的 or 常温的.
Common mistakes
Asking for 冷水
冷水 can sound like cold tap water, which most people in China boil before they drink. Ask for 冰水, or for a cold bottle: 冰的.
Counting water with 个
Water takes a container: 一杯水, a glass of water, or 一瓶水, a bottle.
Expecting ice when you ask for 水
In many restaurants, 水 means hot water or tea. If you want it cold, say so when you order.
In a restaurant
服务员，可以给我一杯水吗？
Leon: Excuse me, could I have a glass of water?
热水可以吗？
Waiter: Is hot water OK?
有冰的吗？
Leon: Do you have anything cold?
冰的只有矿泉水。
Waiter: For cold, we only have bottled water.
好，那来一瓶。
Leon: OK, I’ll have a bottle, then.
More Chinese phrases
- No spicy不要辣 · bú yào là
- I’m vegetarian我吃素 · wǒ chī sù
- The bill, please买单 · mǎi dān
- Delicious好吃 · hǎo chī
- I’m hungry我饿了 · wǒ è le
