藍
藍·indigo
- On-yomi
- ラン
- Kun-yomi
- あい
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 藍色 | あいいろ | indigo blue |
| 藍染め | あいぞめ | indigo dyeing |
| 藍 | あい | indigo (the plant and the dye) |
| 藍藻 | らんそう | blue-green algae; cyanobacteria |
Example sentences
彼女は藍色の着物を着ていた。
かのじょはあいいろのきものをきていた。
She was wearing an indigo kimono.
この町は昔から藍染めで有名だ。
このまちはむかしからあいぞめでゆうめいだ。
This town has long been famous for indigo dyeing.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- 藍 is a deep indigo, darker than 青 — 藍色 is not simply 'blue'
- 出藍の誉れ (しゅつらんのほまれ) means a student surpassing the teacher
Memory aid
Picture it
The grass radical 艹 over 監 (watching over a basin): the plant steeped and watched in the dye vat — indigo.
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 藍 mean?