熱水 / 热水
rèshuǐ
In Chinese, hot water is expressed as 熱水 / 热水 (rèshuǐ). If unsure, use 熱水 / 热水. Wiktionary also lists 湯 / 汤 (tāng).
Meaning: hot water (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 熱水 / 热水 | rèshuǐ | |
| 湯 / 汤 | tāng | literary, regional |
The standard way to refer to plain hot water is using 熱水 / 热水. In Chinese culture, requesting or offering 熱水 / 热水 is a common gesture of hospitality and care.
Which one should you use?
Use 熱水 / 热水 to refer to plain hot water. In contrast, 湯 / 汤 refers to hot water that has been used to make soup or is specifically the word for 'soup' itself.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 湯 / 汤 is considered a regional variant, and the colloquial form 热水儿 is used predominantly in the Beijing dialect or northern regions of China.
How do you pronounce it?
rèshuǐ
When do people say it?
Offering 熱水 / 热水 to guests is a meaningful way to show hospitality and care in Chinese culture.
Did you know?
- The concept of drinking hot water is so ingrained in health culture that it is often viewed as a medicinal preventative measure rather than just a way to warm up.
- The word 湯 / 汤 shares an ancient linguistic root with the word for a 'basin' used for washing, linking the heat of the water to the vessels used to hold it.
- In many Chinese households, 熱水 / 热水 is recommended as a remedy for everything from a common cold to emotional stress.
Examples in context
- 服务员，请给我一杯热水。Waiter, please give me a cup of hot water.
- 我想要一壶开水。I would like a pot of hot water (boiling water).
- 老板，来杯热水儿。Boss, bring a cup of hot water here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hot water” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 湯, CC BY-SA 4.0.
