In contrast to conventional understanding of deliquescence, these experiments demonstrate non-instantaneous water uptake on NaCl, where water condenses first as a film on the NaCl surface, followed by formation of liquid droplet that co-exists with a solid NaCl particle. Conventional understanding has considered water absorption as a significant water uptake mechanism only for sparingly soluble and insoluble aerosol particles. Soluble hygroscopic particles are generally considered to uptake water primarily due to solubility-driven hygroscopic growth, i.e., Raoult's law induced decrease in water vapor pressure. This work demonstrates that both water absorption and hygroscopic growth significantly contribute to water uptake on hygroscopic NaCl particles.