灆 (lán) - Blue — refers to the color blue & indigo plant

灆Tone 2

lán ｜ 20 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

灆 · lán

Blue — refers to the color blue;

indigo plant;

blue dye;

clear water.

Blue — refers to the color blueindigo plantblue dye

Usage highlights

Indigo plantBlue waterDeep blueIndigo blueBlue wavesBlue sky

Synonyms

  • 蓝— blue (more common simplified form)
  • 青— blue-green, cyan
  • 碧— jade green, bluish-green

Antonyms

  • 红— red (complementary color)
  • 赤— red, crimson

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The indigo plant (蓝草) is used to make dye.
  • The water in the lake is exceptionally clear (灆水).
  • He wore a deep blue robe (深灆色长袍).
  • The indigo dye (靛灆) was highly valued.

Collocations

  • Indigo plant(蓝草)
  • Blue water(灆水)
  • Deep blue(深灆)
  • Indigo blue(靛灆)
  • Blue waves(碧灆)
  • Blue sky(青灆)

Idioms

  • Blue comes from the indigo plant but is bluer than it(青出于蓝而胜于蓝)
  • As blue as the indigo plant(如蓝似灆)
  • Blue water and green hills(碧水青山)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with the indigo plant used for dyeing fabrics in ancient China.
  • Represents the color of the sky and water in classical Chinese literature.
  • The character combines water (氵) and plant (艹) radicals, suggesting natural origins of blue color.

FAQ