Definitions

wèi (adjective) luxuriant; resplendent; impressive
wèi (noun) Artemisia japonica (plant species)

Etymology phono-semantic

grass

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "蔚" traces its etymology to early Chinese texts where it specifically denoted a type of Artemisia plant, and its structure consistently combines the grass radical (艹) with the component "尉", which primarily provides phonetic guidance. From this original botanical sense, the meaning broadened to describe lush, dense vegetation and subsequently extended metaphorically to convey prosperity or majestic quality. In contemporary usage, while retaining these associations, it also functions in compounds such as "蔚蓝" to specify a deep blue color, reflecting a semantic shift from tangible flora to abstract qualities of abundance and hue.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

天空一片蓝。

Tiānkōng yī piàn wèilán.

The sky is a vast azure.

大海蓝广阔。

Dàhǎi wèilán guǎngkuò.

The sea is azure and vast.

蓝的湖水很清。

Wèilán de húshuǐ hěn qīng.

The azure lake water is very clear.

我喜欢蓝的颜色。

Wǒ xǐhuān wèilán de yánsè.

I like the color azure.

远处森林然茂盛。

Yuǎn chù sēnlín wèirán màoshèng.

The distant forest is lush and flourishing.

蓝的天空下鸟儿飞。

Wèilán de tiānkōng xià niǎo er fēi.

Birds fly under the azure sky.

他的花园为繁茂。

Tā de huāyuán wèi wéi fánmào.

His garden is remarkably lush.

科学家研究蓝海洋的生态。

Kēxuéjiā yánjiū wèilán hǎiyáng de shēngtài.

Scientists study the ecology of the azure ocean.