水筒
suitō[sɨito̞ː]
The Japanese word for water bottle is 水筒 (suitō).
水筒 refers specifically to a reusable container, often one used by students or for hiking, rather than a single-use disposable plastic bottle.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the kanji for water (水) and a container/cylinder (筒).
How do you pronounce it?
suitō
Did you know?
- The kanji 筒 in 水筒 also describes bamboo tubes and cylinders, reflecting how early containers in Japan were often made from hollowed bamboo.
- While 水筒 refers to a reusable bottle, a disposable plastic bottle is called ペットボトル, a shortened version of 'PET bottle' referring to the polyethylene terephthalate plastic.
- In Japanese schools, students often use a 水筒 that contains both a drink and a small food compartment, a combined utility that is less common in Western water bottles.
Examples in context
- 僕の水筒、どこかな？Where's my water bottle?This sentence shows how to ask for the location of your 水筒.Tatoeba #9676152 by small_snow, translation #9676203 by DJ_Saidez
- 僕の水筒、空っぽなんだけど。My water bottle is empty.This sentence shows how to state that your 水筒 is empty.Tatoeba #9676057 by small_snow, translation #9200842 by Cabo
- 新しい水筒を買いました。Atarashii suitou o kaimashita.I bought a new water bottle.
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are getting ready for a hike.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵、水筒を持ってきて。Himari, suitou o motte kite.Himari, please bring the water bottle.
- 陽葵 Himariはい、蓮。これのこと？Hai, Ren. Kore no koto?Yes, Ren. Is this it?
- 蓮 Renうん、それだよ。Un, sore da yo.Yes, that's the one.
- 陽葵 Himari中身を入れ替えておくね。Nakami o irekaete oku ne.I'll refill it for you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 水筒, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
