Definitions

lán (adjective) blue
lán (noun) indigo plant

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 蓝 is a phono-semantic compound. Its traditional form, 藍, consists of the semantic grass radical 艹 at the top, indicating a plant, and the phonetic component 监 at the bottom. The plant radical points to its original meaning: the indigo plant, historically cultivated to produce a valued natural dye. As this plant was the primary source of blue pigment, the character's meaning extended from the plant itself to the color blue. The simplified form 蓝 retains the grass radical 艹 on top while simplifying the phonetic element to 监 below, and it continues to denote the color blue and, less commonly, the indigo plant.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

色很漂亮。

Lán sè hěn piàoliang.

The color blue is very beautiful.

我最喜欢天。

Wǒ zuì xǐhuan lán tiān.

I like the blue sky the most.

请打开牙。

Qǐng dǎkāi lányá.

Please turn on the Bluetooth.

色毛衣适合你。

Lán sè máoyī shìhé nǐ.

The blue sweater suits you.

莓比草莓小。

Lánméi bǐ cǎoméi xiǎo.

Blueberries are smaller than strawberries.

他望着色的海。

Tā wàngzhe lán sè de hǎi.

He is gazing at the blue sea.

公司有了新图。

Gōngsī yǒule xīn lántú.

The company has a new blueprint.

那片色的湖水,平静得像一面镜子。

Nà piàn lán sè de hú shuǐ, píngjìng de xiàng yí miàn jìngzi.

That expanse of blue lake water is as calm as a mirror.