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Kotomora

藍

indigo

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 5,000Strokes18

Readings

On'yomi

  • ラン

Kun'yomi

  • あい

Meaning

藍 centers on the deep blue color of indigo, both the dye and the plant it comes from.

Most common words using 藍

20 of 86
  • 藍あい

    dyer's knotweed (Persicaria tinctoria, used to produce indigo dye)

  • 藍子あいご

    mottled spinefoot (Siganus fuscescens); dusky rabbitfish; sandy spinefoot

  • 藍色あいいろ

    indigo blue; indigo

  • 藍染めあいぞめ

    indigo dye

  • 伽藍がらん

    temple (esp. large one); monastery

  • 藍革あいかわ

    indigo-dyed leather

  • 藍綬褒章らんじゅほうしょう

    Medal with Blue Ribbon

  • インド藍インドあい

    indigo

  • 七堂伽藍しちどうがらん

    complete seven-structured temple compound

  • 二藍ふたあい

    deep purple; reddish indigo

  • 人造藍じんぞうあい

    synthetic indigo

  • 伽藍堂がらんどう

    empty; hollow; bare; vacant; deserted

  • 伽藍鳥がらんちょう

    pelican

  • 僧伽藍摩そうがらんま

    Buddhist convent or monastery

  • 出藍しゅつらん

    pupil excelling his master

  • 出藍の誉れしゅつらんのほまれ

    surpassing one's master

  • 堂塔伽藍どうとうがらん

    religious buildings (temples, shrines, pagodas, etc.)

  • 大伽藍だいがらん

    large temple edifice; large temple

  • 天然藍てんねんあい

    natural indigo

  • 天藍石てんらんせき

    lazulite

Explore all words using 藍 →

Study

Etymology

藍 combines 艹 (grass/plant) with 監, which likely contributes the sound. It originally referred to the indigo plant used for dyeing.

Meaning mnemonic

The top grass radical 艹 hints at a plant, and the bottom 監 looks like a container for dye. Picture indigo leaves being steeped in a vat to produce the deep blue color.

Reading mnemonic

For ラン, imagine a runner wearing indigo shorts: run -> ラン, and the runner's clothes are dyed with indigo.