水
mizu
From a glass of water to a waterproof watch, one character
The picture A stream of water keeps running toward the lower side and seeps into every gap it finds. 水 runs down and soaks in; 火 climbs up and spreads as flame.
Where the picture shows up in 水
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water held in a glass
すみません、お水を一杯ください。
sumimasen, o-mizu o ippai kudasai
Excuse me, a glass of water please.
A pitcher tips and water drops into a glass, beading on the inside wall
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water arriving through a pipe
水道の水が止まっています。
suidō no mizu ga tomatte imasu
The tap water isn't running.
The stream inside the wall pipe stops at the faucet as a single hanging drop
水道 is the 'road water travels': the pipe drawn as a road.
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the water day of the week
ゴミは水曜日に出してください。
gomi wa suiyōbi ni dashite kudasai
Please put the trash out on Wednesday.
One square of the calendar is stamped with the water character, a trash bag set under it
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a wall that keeps water out
この時計は防水ですか。
kono tokei wa bōsui desu ka
Is this watch waterproof?
A drop lands on a wristwatch, cannot get in, and rolls off as a round bead
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a body moving through water
毎朝、水泳をしています。
maiasa, suiei o shite imasu
I swim every morning.
An arm cuts the water and pulls forward, leaving a long ripple behind
All of it in one picture
水 is one stream of water. Pour it into a glass and it is the water you drink; send it through a pipe into the house and it is 水道, the tap; move a body through it and it is 水泳, swimming. Build a wall so it cannot soak in and you get 防水, waterproof; hang its name on one day of the week and you get 水曜日, Wednesday. Whatever the word, the thing flowing in the picture is the same water.