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Kotomora

青

blue, green

JLPTN4StatusJōyō · grade 1FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • セイ
  • ショウ

Kun'yomi

  • あお
  • あお-
  • あお.い

Nanori

  • お

Meaning

青 centers on the blue-green range of the color spectrum, covering both blue and green as a single concept. In Japanese, it often refers to fresh, young, or verdant things.

Most common words using 青

24 of 359
  • 青あお
    N5

    blue; azure

  • 青いあおい
    N5

    blue; azure

  • 青春せいしゅん
    N1

    youth; adolescence; springtime of life

  • 青年せいねん
    N3

    youth; young man

  • 青山せいざん

    lush mountain; green mountain

  • 青木あおき

    Japanese laurel (Aucuba japonica); spotted laurel

  • 青空あおぞら
    N4

    blue sky

  • 青色あおいろ

    blue

  • 青葉あおば

    fresh leaves

  • 青少年せいしょうねん
    N2

    young people; youth; the younger generation

  • 青梅あおうめ

    unripe plum

  • 番瀝青ペンキ
    N3

    paint

  • 青柳あおやぎ

    green willow (i.e. one that has budded)

  • 真っ青まっさお
    N3

    deep blue; bright blue

  • 青白いあおじろい
    N2

    pale; pallid

  • 青果せいか

    fruits and vegetables; produce

  • 青銅せいどう

    bronze

  • 青ざめるあおざめる
    N1

    to become pale; to turn pale

  • 青写真あおじゃしん

    blueprint; cyanotype

  • 青酸せいさん

    hydrocyanic acid; prussic acid; hydrogen cyanide

  • 青雲せいうん

    blue sky

  • 緑青ろくしょう

    verdigris; green rust; copper rust

  • 青田買いあおたがい

    speculatively buying a rice harvest, while the fields are still green

  • 青年団せいねんだん

    young persons' association

Explore all words using 青 →

Study

Etymology

青 originally depicted a plant growing from the ground, representing the color of vegetation. Over time, it came to denote the blue-green spectrum.

Meaning mnemonic

The top part looks like a sprouting plant, and the bottom 月 (moon) suggests the cool, fresh light of early morning. Together, 青 is the blue-green of new growth.

Reading mnemonic

For セイ, imagine a clear blue-green sea: sea -> セイ, and the color of the water is 青.