The Character 青: Meaning, Structure & Sound Family

Meaning & Usage

青 is unique because its precise color depends on context:

1. Green — Nature and plants

   青山 (qīngshān — green mountains), 青草 (qīngcǎo — green grass)

2. Blue / Cyan — Sky and clear water

   青天 (qīngtiān — blue sky)

3. Black / Dark — Hair

   青丝 (qīngsī — black hair)

4. Youth / Young — Youth and youthfulness

   青年 (qīngnián — youth / young adults), 青春 (qīngchūn — youthfulness)

Character Structure & Radical Details

Pinyin

qīng

Radical

青青部 (qīng bù), Radical #174

Stroke count

8 strokes

Component breakdown

• Top part: 龶—an ancient form related to 生 (shēng), “to grow” or “to sprout.”
• Bottom part: 井 or 井/月—historically representing 丹 (dān), cinnabar, clarity, or mineral color.
• Semantic concept: Growing plants (生) displaying vibrant, natural color (丹/月).

Phonetic Part: 青 in Other Characters

青 is a very active phonetic component in Chinese. When you see 青 inside a character, it almost always gives the character a pronunciation of qīng, qǐng, or jīng.