カップラーメンを食べるまでの簡単な流れ

What does “oyu” mean in Japanese?

In Japanese, お湯 (oyu) is hot water — and it’s a completely different word from 水 (mizu), which is water that’s cold or room-temperature. You don’t say “hot water”; you switch words entirely. So to make instant ramen you pour in お湯, never 熱い水. Getting this pair right is one of the first real “Japanese carves things up differently” moments for a beginner.

The polite お- in front is so standard that most people just say お湯, rarely bare 湯. The same hot/cold split runs through the house: お湯を沸かす (“boil water”), お湯が出ない (“there’s no hot water”), and soaking in an お風呂 (ofuro) or a hot spring. Pour it in, wait 三分 (three minutes), and then — いただきます.