縹 (piǎo) - Floating & fluttering

縹Tone 3

piǎo ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

柠七

縹 · piǎo

Floating;

fluttering;

light blue;

pale;

gauzy;

ethereal;

also refers to silk fabric.

Floatingflutteringlight blue

Usage highlights

Ethereal and vaguePale blue silkLight cyan colorGauzy fabricFluttering silkEthereal beauty

Synonyms

  • 缈— distant and indistinct; vague
  • 渺— vast and distant; tiny
  • 淡蓝— light blue

Antonyms

  • 浓— thick; concentrated; strong (color)
  • 重— heavy; substantial
  • 实— solid; real; substantial

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The silk fluttered in the wind (縹緲的丝绸).
  • She wore a pale blue dress (縹色的裙子).
  • A wisp of smoke rose ethereally (青烟縹緲).
  • The distant mountains appeared hazy (远山縹緲).

Collocations

  • Ethereal and vague(縹緲)
  • Pale blue silk(縹帛)
  • Light cyan color(縹色)
  • Gauzy fabric(縹缯)
  • Fluttering silk(縹缈)
  • Ethereal beauty(縹緲之美)

Idioms

  • Ethereal and elusive(虚无縹緲)
  • Vague and indistinct(縹緲不定)
  • Dreamlike and illusory(梦幻縹緲)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally described the light, floating quality of silk fabrics in ancient China.
  • Associated with Taoist concepts of the ethereal and immaterial, often used in poetry to describe mist, clouds, or distant landscapes.
  • The color meaning derives from the pale blue-green of certain silks and jades.

FAQ