Blue in Japanese
"blue" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
青
ao
4 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "blue". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
青 covers blue and, in older usage, green — Japanese traffic lights are officially 青 though they look green. 蒼 is the pale blue of a sky or a face drained of colour. 碧 is deep blue-green, the colour of jade and of clear sea. 紺 is navy, the dark blue of indigo dye.
Top pick
blue, green
Reading: sei
8 strokes
Where it comes from
Composed of life and red. Color of growing plants.
What it carries
Blue, youth, young person. Represents youthfulness and freshness.
Related kanji for "blue"
blue
sou
Composed of grass and warehouse. Grass color like warehouse.
blue
heki
Composed of jade, white, and stone. White jade stone.
blue
kon · dark
Composed of thread and sweet. Deep blue thread.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for blue?
The most common kanji for "blue" is 青, read as sei. It means blue, green. Related kanji: 蒼 (blue), 碧 (blue), 紺 (blue).
How many strokes does 青 have?
青 has 8 strokes.