Chinese word

吸水

Pronunciation

Pinyinxī shuǐ

Meaning

  • verbabsorb water

Example

这种纸能很快吸水，很适合厨房。zhè zhǒng zhǐ néng hěn kuài xī shuǐ hěn shì hé chú fáng

This paper absorbs water quickly and is ideal for the kitchen.

Illustration for 吸水 (absorb water)

More examples

运动鞋如果吸水，跑步会很不舒服。yùn dòng xié rú guǒ xī shuǐ pǎo bù huì hěn bù shū fú

If running shoes absorb water, running is very uncomfortable.

Core concept

Water moves from the outside into the material, filling its tiny spaces.

Common phrases

  • 能吸水néng xī shuǐ

    can absorb water

  • 容易吸水róng yì xī shuǐ

    absorb water easily

Similar words

吸收xī shōu: Take water or other liquids into the inside of an object.
吸湿xī shī: Take in moisture present in the surrounding air.
浸湿jìn shī: Become wet over the whole surface or material through contact with water.
渗透shèn tòu: Move through small openings or between fibers and spread within a material.

Definition in Chinese

吸收水分，使水进入物体内部，使物体变湿或含有水分。xī shōu shuǐ fèn shǐ shuǐ jìn rù wù tǐ nèi bù shǐ wù tǐ biàn shī huò hán yǒu shuǐ fèn

Word origin

吸水 (xīshuǐ, "absorb water") combines 吸 (xī, "draw in") with 水 (shuǐ, "water"), so the word describes water being pulled into a material.

Usage tips

  • In everyday descriptions, this word usually refers to the water-handling quality of paper, cloth, soil, or another material rather than to a person's action.

Opposites

Word lists with this word