紫 (zǐ) - Purple & violet

紫Tone 3

zǐ ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

志

紫 · zǐ

Purple;

violet;

a color traditionally associated with nobility, royalty, and the celestial realm in Chinese culture.

Purplevioleta color traditionally associated with nobility, royalty, and

Usage highlights

Purple colorForbidden CityVioletPurple cloudPurple qiAmethyst

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 绿— green (color contrast)
  • 黄— yellow (color contrast)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The imperial palace walls were purple (紫禁城).
  • She wore a beautiful purple dress (紫色裙子).
  • This flower has a violet hue (紫罗兰色).
  • The sky turned purple at dusk (紫色的黄昏).

Collocations

  • Purple color(紫色)
  • Forbidden City(紫禁城)
  • Violet(紫罗兰)
  • Purple cloud(紫云)
  • Purple qi(紫气 - auspicious omen)
  • Amethyst(紫水晶)

Idioms

  • Purple qi comes from the east(紫气东来 - auspicious sign)
  • Red purple confuses the vermilion(红紫乱朱 - heterodoxy confuses orthodoxy)
  • Wearing gold and purple(衣紫腰金 - high official rank)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In imperial China, purple was associated with the North Star and celestial authority, making it a color of high nobility.
  • Purple dye was historically rare and expensive, contributing to its elite status.
  • Daoist cosmology associates purple with the highest heavens and spiritual attainment.
  • The Forbidden City (紫禁城) literally means 'Purple Forbidden City', referencing the Purple Palace of the North Star.

FAQ