tear
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tear
The salty fluid secreted by the glands of the eye, especially when crying as an expression of sadness, pain, or joy.
Als sie die traurige Nachricht hörte, lief ihr eine Träne über die Wange.
When she heard the sad news, a tear ran down her cheek.
'Tränen' (tears) are often combined with verbs of movement. Typical formulations are 'Tränen fließen' (tears flow), 'Tränen laufen über die Wangen' (tears run down the cheeks), or also the active action 'Tränen vergießen' (to shed tears).
Als er die Geschichte hörte, flossen ihm die Tränen.
When he heard the story, tears flowed from his eyes.
There are many fixed expressions with 'Tränen' (tears). 'In Tränen ausbrechen' means to suddenly start crying hard. 'Den Tränen nahe sein' describes the state of being close to tears.
Bei der emotionalen Verabschiedung brach sie in Tränen aus.
At the emotional farewell, she burst into tears.
Tears are not always just a sign of sadness. The word 'Freudentränen' (tears of joy) is a common compound and describes tears that one cries out of great joy or emotion.
Bei der Hochzeit ihrer Tochter vergoss die Mutter Freudentränen.
At her daughter's wedding, the mother shed tears of joy.
water
'das Wasser' and 'die Träne' can both refer to the liquid that comes from the eyes. 'die Träne' is the precise and normal word for this, especially when someone is crying or very moved. 'Wasser' is used more generally for liquid and sometimes also for bodily fluids. With eyes, 'Wasser' sounds more like a description of the liquid, for example in 'Wasser in den Augen' (water in one's eyes). Learners may confuse the words because tears are made of water. But if you are talking about crying, 'Träne' is usually more natural and more precise.
Nach dem traurigen Film lief Johanna eine Träne über die Wange.
After the sad movie, a tear ran down Johanna's cheek.
Vor Freude stand ihr Wasser in den Augen.
Her eyes filled with tears of joy.