蓝

• Pinyin: lán
• Hanzi breakdown: 蓝 = 艹 (grass) + 监 (oversee, phonetic) — originally a plant used for blue dye (indigo)

Meaning

Blue. The colour of the clear sky and the deep sea.

One of the basic colour words in Chinese. Used to describe the colour of objects, clothing, and nature. Can be combined with other words: 蓝天 (blue sky), 蓝色 (blue colour).

Examples

1. 天是蓝的。 The sky is blue.
2. 他穿了一件蓝衬衫。 He wore a blue shirt.
3. 大海是蓝的。 The ocean is blue.

Usage Guide

Context: colours, everyday, description

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你喜欢蓝的还是红的？(Do you prefer blue or red?)
• 今天的天真蓝。(The sky is really blue today.)

Don't Say

• 不要说'蓝颜色' (Don't say 蓝颜色 — just say 蓝色 or 蓝的 for the colour blue)

Origin & History

Originally referred to the indigo plant used for blue dye. Composed of 艹 (grass radical) and 监 (phonetic component).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal