How to say "liquid" in Japanese

• 液えきJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)Refers to liquid as a substance, especially in technical, medical, or scientific contexts. It commonly appears in set expressions and is less often used alone for an everyday 'liquid'.
  その液えきはいやな臭においを発はっした。↗

  The liquor gave off a sickly odor.
• 液体えきたいJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounThe default word for liquid as a state of matter, contrasted with gas and solid. Use it when discussing substances scientifically or describing something as being a liquid rather than a solid or gas.
  水みずと石油せきゆは共ともに液体えきたいである。↗

  Water and oil are both liquids.
• 水分すいぶんJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounMeans water or moisture content, not liquid in general. It is the natural choice for the water in food, skin, or the body, and is seldom the word you want for 'liquid' as a substance.
  水分すいぶんをたくさん取とってください。↗

  You should drink a lot of liquid.
• リキッドCommon
  nounA loanword covering liquid, used mainly for commercial products such as cosmetics, detergents, and e-liquids. It is not the general scientific term for liquid as a state of matter.
  このクリームは、リキッドっぽくて使つかいやすい。↗

  This is more like a liquid than a facial cream. That makes it easy to use.
• 水みずJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounBasically 'water', but its gloss also covers fluid, especially fluid in animal tissue. Only in that bodily-fluid sense is it a way to render 'liquid'; otherwise it just means water.

For the physical state of matter use 液体 or 液; for moisture in the body or food use 水分; 「リキッド」 is a loanword for liquid products, and 水 covers bodily fluids.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 液えきliquid
• 液体えきたいliquid
• 水分すいぶんwater
• リキッドliquid
• 水物みずものliquid
• 流動体りゅうどうたいliquid
• 水みずfluid (esp. in an animal tissue)