药水

The Chinese word 药水 (yàoshuǐ) is composed of two characters: 药 (yào), meaning "medicine" or "drug", and 水 (shuǐ), meaning "water". Together, they literally mean "medicinal water" or "liquid medicine".The word 药水 has been used in Chinese for centuries to refer to a variety of liquid medicines, including herbal concoctions, tinctures, and elixirs. In traditional Chinese medicine, 药水 are often used to treat a wide range of ailments, from common colds to more serious illnesses.In modern Chinese, 药水 is still used to refer to liquid medicines, but it can also be used more broadly to refer to any type of liquid that is used for medicinal purposes, such as saline solution or contact lens solution.The word 药水 is also used in some Chinese idioms and proverbs. For example, the idiom 药到病除 (yào dào bìng chú) means "a cure-all medicine", while the proverb 良药苦口利于病 (liángyào kǔkǒu lì yú bìng) means "good medicine tastes bitter".Understanding the etymology of Chinese words can help HSK learners to better understand the meaning and usage of those words. By knowing the origins of a word, learners can also gain a deeper appreciation for the richness and complexity of the Chinese language.