The interactions between water molecules and gold surfaces are central to biocompatibility and electrocatalysis, yet their fundamental nature remains highly controversial. Recent findings indicating a molecular-level hydrophobicity have challenged the classical view of gold being hydrophilic. Using surface-specific spectroscopy and ab initio simulations, we demonstrate that gold is neither hydrophobic nor hydrophilic in the classical sense, but exhibits strong electronic interactions with water, resulting in an orientation-dependent electronic heterogeneity. These findings are important for the properties of metal-aqueous interfaces with broad applications.

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• Electronic structure of atoms & molecules
• Nonlinear optics
• Vibrational states
• Interfaces
• Ab initio molecular dynamics
• Laser techniques
• Optical spectroscopy