About
The character 蔚, which retains the same form in both traditional and simplified systems, is structured with the grass radical (艹) at the top, indicating a botanical association, and the component 尉 below, which historically related to a military or official title but also functioned phonetically. Its original meaning referred to a specific type of asteraceae plant, known for its dense, flourishing growth. This concrete botanical sense naturally extended into a classical adjective describing lush, thick vegetation, a usage richly documented in early literary texts. Over centuries, this core concept of profuse abundance was abstracted further, allowing 蔚 to describe things that are grand in scale, richly colorful, or atmospherically profound, as seen in compound words like 蔚然 (flourishing) and 蔚蓝 (azure blue). While its plant meaning is now largely archaic, the character continues to serve in these descriptive literary capacities and also functions independently as a surname and in proper nouns, such as place names.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
天空一片蔚蓝。
大海蔚蓝广阔。
蔚蓝的湖水很清。
我喜欢蔚蓝的颜色。
远处森林蔚然茂盛。
蔚蓝的天空下鸟儿飞。
他的花园蔚为繁茂。
科学家研究蔚蓝海洋的生态。