“hot water” in Japanese is 湯, read tou, yu (とう, ゆ). It is a Grade 3 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 3 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 温泉 (hot spring).
What does 湯 mean?
お湯をわかす。
| Kanji | 湯 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | hot water |
| Readings | とう, ゆ |
| Grade | Grade 3 (Medium) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
| Example | 温泉 (hot spring) |
湯 is read tou (とう) or yu (ゆ) depending on the word.
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side: