About
The Chinese character 苍, with its traditional form 蒼, is a phono-semantic compound. The semantic grass radical 艹 on top indicates its connection to vegetation, while the phonetic component 仓 (traditional 倉) below provides its sound. Originally meaning the dark green of plants, its sense extended to the deep blue of the sky, as in the word for firmament. Later, it came to describe a hoary or aged appearance, often used for white or gray hair. The simplification process mainly streamlined the phonetic component from 倉 to 仓, while the grass radical retains the character's foundational link to nature.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
桌子上有一只苍蝇。
他的脸色很苍白。
爷爷的声音有点苍老。
苍天之上有白云。
山上的树木十分苍翠。
秋天的田野显得苍凉。
苍茫的大海一望无际。
在苍茫的暮色中，他独自前行。