Water

1. The clear liquid of streams and rivers.

2. In the five phases, the phase that has characteristics associated with water. Water is the moistening and descending, that is, water provides the moisture necessary for the maintenance of life and it constantly flows downward until it can flow no further and becomes still. The water phase is associated with winter (season), storage (life-cycle stage), north (position), saltiness (flavor), black (color), the kidney (viscus), the bladder (bowel), ears (orifice), bone (body constituent), and fear (mind).

3. Any form of fluid, in particular ingested fluids (such as in the expression sea of grain and water), and waste fluids or urine (as in waterways).

4. Specifically, fluid accumulation refers to fluid accumulations in the form of water swelling attributable to morbidity of the lung, spleen, or kidney. Water in this context is often known as water qì. Distinction is made between yīn water and yáng water. Yīn water patterns are ones of vacuity or cold patterns that develop slowly and are difficult to cure. Yáng water patterns are ones of repletion or heat patterns that develop rapidly and can be eliminated swiftly. See water swelling.

5. In the doctrine of the five phases, the water phase, to which the kidney corresponds.

6. An alternate name for the kidney (and its corresponding bowel, the bladder), as in the phrase water failing to moisten wood.