water可数吗

一、water不可数

water表示“水”，是物质名词，不可数。如：

The water in the lake is so clear that you can see the bottom. 湖水清澈见底。

Please remember to water the plants while I’m away. 我不在时，请记住浇花。

As water begins to boil, bubbles rise ever faster to the surface. 水开了，气泡更快地升上水面。

The water in the lake is not particularly deep, averaging about 12 metres. 湖水不是很深，平均约为12米。

A block in the pipe was preventing the water from coming through. 管道中的东西堵住了水流。

If you give water to a small baby to drink, you have to boil it first. 如果你喂婴儿水喝，你必须先把水烧开。

We’ll take the boat out into deep water where we can dive. 我们要把小船划进我们可以跳水的深水区域。

二、water用复数

但是，注意，water 虽然表示“水”时不可数，但在某些特殊情况下可用复数。如：

1. 表示“水域”“水体”时，可以用复数。如：

The fish are on sale from our own coastal waters.  出售的鱼来自我们自己的近海水域。

Brackish waters generally support only a small range of faunas.  咸水水域通常只能存活为数不多的几种动物。

The ill fated ship was sent off course into shallow waters and rammed by another vessel.  这艘倒霉的船偏离航道误入浅水区，被另外一艘船撞上了。

2. 表示某国的“近海”“海域”“领海”时，可以用复数。如：

The government is allowing the areas of inshore coastal waters to be explored for oil and gas.  当局允许在近海海域勘探石油和天然气。

The two countries are in dispute over the boundaries of their coastal waters.  两国在近海水域分界线上尚存分歧。

Other nations are forbidden to fish the waters within 200 miles of the coast. 其他国家被禁止在离岸200英里的海域内捕鱼。

3. 表示“矿泉水”“泉水”“喷泉水花”时，可以用复数。如：

We drink table waters. 我们喝瓶装矿泉水。

A great poem is a fountain forever overflowing with the waters of wisdom and delight. 一首伟大的诗篇犹如一座喷泉，永远喷出智慧和欢乐的水花。

注意，take [drink] the waters 为固定搭配，指喝矿泉水治疗或到矿泉胜地疗养。如：

He is taking [drinking] the waters at Bath. 他在巴斯进行矿泉治疗。

4. 表示“洪水”等大量的水时，可以用复数。如：

The flood waters subsided.  洪水退了。

Flood waters swept everything from their path.  洪水沿路冲走了一切。

People spoke of their fear as the floor waters rose.  人们说起看到洪水上涨时的恐惧。

DCS: The dam broke because there was no outlet for the flood waters.  由于那大坝上没有泄洪口，大坝决口了。

5. 表示几条不同河流或海域的水，习惯上要用复数。如：

The waters of the two rivers mingled (together) to form one river. 两条河汇合成一条。

6. 在某些固定表达中，可以用复数。如：

in smooth water(s) 进展顺利，一帆风顺

pour oil on troubled waters平息风波，作和事佬，调停争端

fish in muddy waters 趁火打劫，混水摸鱼

fish in troubled waters 混水摸鱼