青あお白じろい

あ

お

じ

ろ

い

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

i-adjective

pale; pallid

Describes a face, complexion, or light that is lacking healthy color, often due to illness, fear, or fatigue.

彼かれは病びょう気きで顔かおが青あお白じろい。
His face is pale from illness.
彼かの女じょは恐きょう怖ふで青あお白じろくなっ

た

。

She turned pale with fear.

2

i-adjective

bluish-white

Used for light or objects that have a cold, bluish-white tint, such as moonlight or fluorescent lighting.

月つきの青あお白じろい光ひかりが部屋へやに差さし込こんでいた。
The bluish-white light of the moon was shining into the room.

Written forms

青あお白じろいUsage85%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
蒼あお白じろいUsage13%
Alternate kanji form using 蒼; less common.
青あおじろいUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only form; not a standard spelling.

Kanji

青blue, green
白white
蒼blue, pale

Similar words

白しろい
白い simply means 'white', while 青白い specifically refers to a pale or bluish-white hue, often with a negative or cold connotation.
蒼そう白はく
蒼白 is a Sino-Japanese noun/adjectival noun meaning 'pallor' or 'pale', often used in medical or formal contexts, whereas 青白い is a native adjective used in everyday description.

Etymology

Compound of 青 (ao, 'blue') + 白い (shiroi, 'white'), with rendaku voicing of shiroi to jiroi. The combination yields the meaning 'bluish-white' or 'pale'.