‘泪水’ literally means 'tear water' and is the standard, natural noun for 'tears' — the liquid that flows from the eyes when someone is crying. It combines 泪 (lèi), meaning 'tear', and 水 (shuǐ), meaning 'water', reflecting how tears are physically composed of water. Unlike the more literary or poetic term 泪 (lèi) alone, ‘泪水’ emphasizes the visible, physical substance and often carries emotional weight — it’s commonly used to express sorrow, grief, joy, or deep gratitude.

This word appears frequently in spoken and written Chinese, especially in descriptive or emotionally charged contexts: storytelling, songs, films, and personal narratives. It’s neutral in register — appropriate in both everyday conversation and formal writing — but rarely used in highly technical or clinical contexts (where ‘tear secretion’ or ‘lacrimal fluid’ would be more precise). ‘泪水’ is always plural in English translation, though Chinese nouns lack number distinction.