Water glass is in the state of sodium silicate solution. It is mostly called water glass in the south, and soya alkaloid in the north. Sodium silicate is a colorless, slightly colored transparent or translucent viscous liquid in a system using water as a dispersant. The solid sodium silicate is a colorless, slightly colored transparent or translucent glass block. The forms are divided into three types: liquid, solid, and water-quenched. Such substances are theoretically called "colloids".

Ordinary sodium silicate is a light blue lumpy or granular solid. After dissolving at high temperature and pressure, it is a slightly colored transparent or translucent viscous liquid.