Chinese Character for "Water"

February 1, 2017 · updated February 15, 2022

Chinese Character for
Chinese character for "water," sometimes used as a symbol for Confucianism. Wikimedia Commons

Water is one of the five elements of Chinese philosophy, along with wood, fire, earth, and metal. Water is viewed as a life source, which likely stems from its importance in the natural world and for sustaining life. China’s east coast contain 9,000 miles of shoreline and its home to two of the world’s six largest rivers, the Yangtze, which is the third largest, and the Yellow, which is the 6th.