Hot water Meaning in English
expression
ˈhɑt/ /ˈwɔtɝ
HOT WAW-ter
hˈɒt/ /wˈɔːtɐ
HOT WAW-tuh
Definition
"Hot water" literally means water that is warm from being heated. In informal English, it also means being in trouble or a difficult situation.
Usage & Nuances
The idiomatic sense ("in hot water") is informal and common in conversation. Use "get into hot water" or "be in hot water" about people in trouble. The literal sense is straightforward. Don't confuse the idiom with the actual liquid in serious contexts.
Spanish: agua caliente - problemas (figurado)Portuguese (BR): água quente - encrenca (figurado)Portuguese (PT): água quente - sarilhos (figurado)Chinese (Simplified): 热水 - 麻烦 (比喻义)Chinese (Traditional): 熱水 - 麻煩 (比喻義)Hindi: गर्म पानी - मुसीबत (रूपक)Arabic: ماء ساخن - ورطة (مجازي)Bengali: গরম পানি - বিপদ (কঠিন পরিস্থিতি)Russian: горячая вода - неприятности (разг.)Japanese: お湯 - 困った状況Vietnamese: nước nóng - rắc rối (tình huống khó khăn)Korean: 뜨거운 물 - 곤란한 상황Turkish: sıcak su - başı dertte (deyim)Urdu: گرم پانی - مشکل میں ہوناIndonesian: air panas - dalam masalah (idiom)
Example Sentences
Be careful with hot water when you make tea.
basic
I poured hot water into the bath.
basic
We need hot water to wash the dishes.
basic
He found himself in hot water after missing the deadline.
natural
If you keep lying, you'll end up in hot water.
natural
She was already in hot water with her boss before the mistake happened.
natural