My children loved to play with water ever since they were babies. From bath times to swimming, they enjoy every moment of it. The 水 Chinese character is a great start to learning Chinese since it is one of the basic symbols and also an element that is crucial in our lives.
In this blog post, we will explore 6 fun and engaging ways to learn about the 水 character that you can use to teach your children. These activities will also allow your children to use 水 in many ways.
What is 水?
水 is a very important symbol in Chinese culture. 水 also plays an important role in our lives.
It is used in idioms, proverbs, sayings, and is often seen in popular Chinese media.
It is also a radical character which means it can be used as part of a Chinese character.
氵is a simplified version of 水 which is displayed as a Chinese radical character.
It usually appears on the left side of a Chinese character. Here are some examples: 泥 (soil), 流 (flow), 汗 (sweat).
The original character of 水 can also used as a radical too. Here is an example: 泉 (spring).
The character 水 is pronounced “seoi2” (Cantonese) and “shuǐ” (Mandarin). The meaning of 水 is water.
Learn more about 水 from Written Chinese Dictionary.
Fun facts about water:
- Water is the most important molecule on Earth.
- Water is essential for human life and covers over two-thirds of the Earth’s surface.
- Water can exist in three states: solid, liquid, and gas.
- Water is the only substance that can exist in all three states at the same time.
- Water is a great solvent and can dissolve many different substances.
- Water has a high specific heat, which means it can absorb a lot of heat without changing temperature.
- Water is also known as the “universal solvent” because it can dissolve more substances than any other liquid.
- Water is essential for human life
Read Books about 水
There are Chinese books about 水 that you can read with your children. These books will help your children learn more about 水 and its meanings. You can also select any books that describe water. Here are some of the recommendations:
- Busy Water • 忙碌的水
- Water Can Be . . . • 水，還可以是……
- The Adventures of Water (Pop-Up Book) • 水資源大揭祕 立體書
- Water • 水
- The Science is in the Water • 藏在水裡的科學
- Wow! Water is Amazing! • 哇！「水」原來這麼重要！
6 Fun Learning Activities with 水
There are a lot of water learning activities that you can do with your children. I have suggested six of them and listed them below.
Activity 1: Watercolor Painting with Oil Pastels
Age recommendation: 2-8 years old
What you need:
- White card stock paper
- Paint brush
- Blue paint
- Container/bowl of water
- White oil pastel.
Preparation: Write many 水 on the white paper with white oil pastel. (You can allow your children to do this step if they want)
Activity:
- Start painting the whole piece of white paper with different shades of blue paint.
- Encourage your children to read 水 every time they find it on paper.
- Let it dry and display the artwork on the wall.
Activity 2: Go Interact with Water in Nature
Age recommendation: All ages
Water is essential for human life and can be found all over the Earth. One of the best ways to experience 水 is by going out into nature and interacting with it. Here are some activities that you can do:
- Visit a nearby lake, river, or waterfall.
- Take a swim or go boating on a lake.
- Collect rainwater in a jar and watch as it evaporates.
Activity 3: Water Scavenger Hunt
A water scavenger hunt is a fun and interactive way to learn about water. You can also set it up as a contest for a party or other event.
Age recommendation: 2-8 years old
Activity: Start finding things around the house that contains 水. Here are some examples:
- Water tap
- Water bottle
- Our body
- Juice boxes
- Shower
- Plants
- Ice
- Toilet
Activity 4: Practice Writing 水 with Water
In this activity, your children will practice writing 水 with water.
Age recommendation: 3-8 years old
What you need:
- bowl or container of water
- paintbrush
- Color paper
- Free 水 Worksheet (Activity Extension)
- Pencil (Activity Extension)
- Eraser (Activity Extension)
Activity:
- Fill a bowl/container with water
- Dip the paintbrush into the water
- Write on color paper.
- Let it dry and display it on the wall.
Activity Extension:
- Print the free 水 worksheet.
- Allow your children to practice more writing 水 with a pencil.
Download: Free 水 Worksheet
Activity 5: Identify Characters and Words that Have a Relationship with 水
In this activity, you will look at a list of words and identify which ones are connected with 水. This is a chance to identify which characters use 水 as a radical character 氵. You don’t have to worry about whether your children can recognize or read any of these words, instead just focus on identifying which character has 水.
Age recommendation: 3-8 years old
What you need:
Preparation:
- Print the free printable cards.
- Laminate the paper. (If you want the cards to be more durable)
- Cut the cards.
Activity: Ask your children to identify which Chinese character or word has 水.
Download: Free Flash Cards
Activity 6: Paint 水 with Watercolor
In this activity, your children will paint 水 with watercolor.
Age recommendation: 3-8 years old
What you need:
Activity:
- Choose blue or green color to paint 水. Be creative and fun!
- Let It dry.
- Display on the wall.
Download: Free 水 Character Printable
Conclusion
Here are six ways to learn about 水 that you can enjoy with your children:
- Activity 1: Watercolor Painting with Oil Pastels
- Activity 2: Go Interact with Water in Nature
- Activity 3: Water Scavenger Hunt
- Activity 4: Practice Writing 水 with Water
- Activity 5: Identify Characters and Words that Have a Relationship with 水
- Activity 6: Paint 水 with Water Color
Learning about 水 is a great way to engage with Chinese culture and to learn more about the Chinese language. By doing some reading, and providing some fun learning activities, your children (and even yourself!) can have a blast while learning 水. Don’t forget to download the free 水 Printables to get started!
Download: Free 水 Character Printable | Free Flash Cards | Free 水 Worksheet
