shuǐguǎn: 水管 - Water Pipe, Pipe, Plumbing

• Keywords: shuiguan, 水管, Chinese for pipe, water pipe in Chinese, plumbing in Chinese, learn Chinese vocabulary, Chinese for home repair, clogged pipe Chinese, leaky pipe Chinese, plumber in Chinese.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 水管 (shuǐguǎn), which means “water pipe” or “plumbing.” This page breaks down this common and practical noun, showing you how to talk about everything from a simple leaky faucet to major urban infrastructure in China. Discover its character origins, cultural relevance in modernizing China, and see practical example sentences for everyday situations like calling a plumber or describing a clogged drain.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shuǐguǎn
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: A tube or pipe used to transport water.
• In a Nutshell: 水管 (shuǐguǎn) is the direct and most common word for a water pipe. It's a very literal term, combining “water” (水) and “tube” (管). You'll use this word for any pipe carrying water in your home, from the ones under the sink to the ones in the walls, as well as for larger public water mains.

• 水 (shuǐ): This character means “water.” It's one of the most fundamental characters and is a pictograph originally depicting a flowing river or stream.
• 管 (guǎn): This character means “tube” or “pipe.” The radical on top, `⺮` (zhú), means “bamboo,” as early tubes and pipes in China were often made from hollow bamboo stalks. This character can also mean “to manage” or “to control,” but in this context, it squarely means “tube.”
• The combination is perfectly logical: 水 (water) + 管 (tube) = 水管 (water pipe).

While a “pipe” might seem like a mundane object, 水管 (shuǐguǎn) taps into the story of modern China's rapid development. For decades, reliable plumbing was a luxury. Today, the installation of modern 水管 systems in new high-rises and the renovation of older neighborhoods is a visible symbol of rising living standards and national progress. The massive scale of these infrastructure projects is a point of national pride. On a household level, dealing with a 水管 issue is a universal experience that provides a window into daily life. Unlike in some Western countries where homeowners might attempt DIY repairs, it's very common in China to immediately call a `水管工 (shuǐguǎn gōng)`, or plumber. This is often done through property management (`物业 wùyè`) in apartment complexes or via popular service apps. The efficiency (or inefficiency) of getting a pipe fixed can be a frequent topic of conversation among neighbors, highlighting the practical, community-oriented approach to solving everyday problems.

水管 (shuǐguǎn) is a high-frequency word used in very practical, everyday situations. Its connotation is neutral.

• Home Repairs: This is the most common context. You'll use it to describe problems like leaks, bursts, or clogs. For example, `我家的水管漏水了 (Wǒjiā de shuǐguǎn lòushuǐ le)` - “My home's water pipe is leaking.”
• Describing Systems: It's used to refer to the entire plumbing system. You might ask a landlord, `这个公寓的水管系统是新的吗？(Zhège gōngyù de shuǐguǎn xìtǒng shì xīn de ma?)` - “Is the plumbing system in this apartment new?”
• Construction and Infrastructure: In a broader sense, it refers to the water mains being laid under streets or installed in new buildings.

• Example 1:
  • 糟糕，厨房的水管堵了！
  • Pinyin: Zāogāo, chúfáng de shuǐguǎn dǔ le!
  • English: Oh no, the kitchen water pipe is clogged!
  • Analysis: A very common and practical exclamation. `堵了 (dǔ le)` is the standard way to say something is “clogged” or “blocked.”
• Example 2:
  • 我们得找个水管工来修理这根水管。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen děi zhǎo ge shuǐguǎn gōng lái xiūlǐ zhè gēn shuǐguǎn.
  • English: We have to find a plumber to repair this pipe.
  • Analysis: `水管工 (shuǐguǎn gōng)` literally means “water pipe worker” and is the word for plumber. The measure word for a single, long pipe is `根 (gēn)`.
• Example 3:
  • 冬天太冷了，外面的水管都冻住了。
  • Pinyin: Dōngtiān tài lěng le, wàimiàn de shuǐguǎn dōu dòng zhù le.
  • English: It's too cold in the winter; the outside water pipes have all frozen.
  • Analysis: `冻住 (dòng zhù)` means “to freeze solid.” This is a common concern in northern China.
• Example 4:
  • 这栋老房子的水管都生锈了，需要更换。
  • Pinyin: Zhè dòng lǎo fángzi de shuǐguǎn dōu shēngxiù le, xūyào gēnghuàn.
  • English: The water pipes in this old house are all rusty and need to be replaced.
  • Analysis: `生锈 (shēngxiù)` means “to rust.” `更换 (gēnghuàn)` is a slightly more formal word for “to replace.”
• Example 5:
  • 楼上漏水了，好像是他们的水管爆了。
  • Pinyin: Lóushàng lòushuǐ le, hǎoxiàng shì tāmen de shuǐguǎn bào le.
  • English: The apartment upstairs is leaking water; it seems like their water pipe burst.
  • Analysis: `爆了 (bào le)` literally means “exploded” and is the perfect word for a burst pipe.
• Example 6:
  • 市政工人正在马路下面铺设新的水管。
  • Pinyin: Shìzhèng gōngrén zhèngzài mǎlù xiàmiàn pūshè xīn de shuǐguǎn.
  • English: The municipal workers are laying new water pipes under the road.
  • Analysis: This shows the use of `水管` in a larger, public works context. `铺设 (pūshè)` means “to lay” (for pipes, cables, etc.).
• Example 7:
  • 你知道水管的总阀门在哪里吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zhīdào shuǐguǎn de zǒng fámén zài nǎlǐ ma?
  • English: Do you know where the main valve for the plumbing is?
  • Analysis: A crucial question in an emergency. `总阀门 (zǒng fámén)` means “main valve.”
• Example 8:
  • 这根是热水水管，那根是冷水水管。
  • Pinyin: Zhè gēn shì rèshuǐ shuǐguǎn, nà gēn shì lěngshuǐ shuǐguǎn.
  • English: This pipe is the hot water pipe, and that one is the cold water pipe.
  • Analysis: Shows how you can specify the type of water pipe by adding adjectives before it.
• Example 9:
  • 安装新的水管系统花了不少钱。
  • Pinyin: Ānzhuāng xīn de shuǐguǎn xìtǒng huā le bù shǎo qián.
  • English: Installing the new plumbing system cost quite a bit of money.
  • Analysis: `安装 (ānzhuāng)` is the verb for “to install.” `花 (huā)` means “to spend” (money or time).
• Example 10:
  • 清理水管里的水垢是一件很麻烦的事。
  • Pinyin: Qīnglǐ shuǐguǎn lǐ de shuǐgòu shì yī jiàn hěn máfan de shì.
  • English: Cleaning the scale from inside the water pipes is a very troublesome matter.
  • Analysis: `水垢 (shuǐgòu)` is “limescale” or “mineral buildup,” a common issue in areas with hard water.

• 水管 (shuǐguǎn) vs. 管道 (guǎndào): This is a key distinction. 水管 specifically refers to pipes for water. 管道 (guǎndào) is a more general and formal term for “pipeline,” “duct,” or “conduit.” It can be used for oil (`石油管道 shíyóu guǎndào`), gas (`天然气管道 tiānránqì guǎndào`), or even data. Using `水管` for a gas line is incorrect.
• 水管 (shuǐguǎn) vs. 水龙头 (shuǐlóngtóu): A common beginner mistake is to confuse the pipe with the faucet. The 水管 is the pipe inside the wall or under the sink. The 水龙头 (shuǐlóngtóu), literally “water dragon head,” is the tap or faucet where the water comes out.
  • Incorrect: `我的水管坏了，现在关不上。` (My pipe is broken, now I can't turn it off.)
  • Correct: `我的水龙头坏了，现在关不上。` (My faucet is broken, now I can't turn it off.) The part you physically turn is the faucet, not the pipe.
• 水管 (shuǐguǎn) vs. 吸管 (xīguǎn): Don't confuse `水管` with a drinking straw, which is 吸管 (xīguǎn), meaning “sucking tube.”

• 水管工 (shuǐguǎn gōng) - A plumber; literally a “water pipe worker.”
• 管道 (guǎndào) - The more general term for “pipeline” or “duct,” used for water, oil, gas, etc.
• 水龙头 (shuǐlóngtóu) - The faucet or tap where water comes out.
• 漏水 (lòu shuǐ) - (Verb) To leak water. A common problem with a `水管`.
• 堵塞 (dǔsè) - (Verb) To be clogged, blocked. Can be used for pipes, drains, or even traffic.
• 阀门 (fámén) - A valve used to control the flow in a pipe.
• 下水道 (xiàshuǐdào) - A sewer or drainpipe; the system that carries wastewater away.
• 暖气管 (nuǎnqì guǎn) - A heating pipe, as found in radiator systems common in northern China.
• 修理 (xiūlǐ) - To repair, to fix. The verb you use when you need someone to fix your `水管`.
• 安装 (ānzhuāng) - To install. Used for installing new pipes or appliances.