青

• Pinyin: qīng
• Hanzi breakdown: 青 = 生 (life) + 丹/月, color of living plants (blue-green)

Meaning

Green; blue; young; unripe. A color term covering the blue-green spectrum, also meaning youth.

In compounds: 青春 (youth), 青年 (young person), 青菜 (green vegetables), 青天 (blue sky). 青 can mean blue or green depending on context. Also: 青涩 (unripe, inexperienced).

Examples

1. 春天到了，小草变青了。 Spring has arrived, and the grass has turned green.
2. 青年人应该有理想有抱负。 Young people should have ideals and ambitions.
3. 他穿着一件青色的外套。 He wore a blue-green jacket.

Usage Guide

Context: color, nature, youth

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 青山绿水。(Green mountains and clear waters — beautiful scenery.)
• 青出于蓝而胜于蓝。(The student surpasses the master.)

Don't Say

• 青色的天空。(While grammatical, 蓝天 is more natural for blue sky)

Origin & History

Pictograph showing the color of growing plants. Originally meant the blue-green color of nature.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal