HSK · Level 3
131 words
Chinese word
青
Pronunciation
Pinyinqīng
Meaning
- adjectiveblue
Example
她戴着一顶青色的帽子。tā dài zhe yì dǐng qīng sè de mào zi
She has on a blue hat.
More examples
他作为新人，讲话还有点青涩，但态度诚恳。tā zuò wéi xīn rén jiǎng huà hái yóu diǎn qīng sè dàn tài dù chéng kěn
As a newcomer, his speech is still a little immature, but his attitude is sincere.
Core concept
The cool color of fresh growth, from blue toward green, with a natural sense of something still developing.
Common phrases
青涩的作品qīng sè de zuò pǐn
immature work
青葱的面孔qīng cōng de miàn kǒng
youthful face
Similar words
蓝色lán sè: Clear, bright blue like a sunny sky or open sea.
青色qīng sè: Describing the full range of the blue-green color.
Definition in Chinese
表示青色或带绿色调的颜色，也可用来表示未熟、尚在生长或未经加工的状态。biǎo shì qīng sè huò dài lǜ sè diào de yán sè yě kě yòng lái biǎo shì wèi shú shàng zài shēng zhǎng huò wèi jīng jiā gōng de zhuàng tài
Word origin
青 (qīng, "blue-green") names the color associated with young plants, which helps explain its later uses for young, unripe, or unfinished things.
Usage tips
- English color words draw the blue-green boundary differently, so the same Chinese color term does not always match one fixed English label; context supplies the intended shade.
Other meanings
- greennoun
- youngadjective
Opposites
- 成熟chéng shúmatureadjective
- 老练lǎo liànseasonedadjective
Related words
- 青涩qīng sèimmatureadjective
- 青春qīng chūnyouthnoun
- 青葱qīng cōngyouthfuladjective