How to Write 青 (qīng) — Meaning “blue; green; cyan”

Imagine a green sprout (top part 龶) reaching up toward a blue crescent moon (bottom part 月). The sprout and moon together create the color 青 (green-blue). This visual image helps you recall both the form and meaning of the character.

Pay attention to the top part: the vertical stroke should be short and stop before touching the bottom part. The bottom part 月 starts with a slanted left-falling stroke (撇), not a straight vertical. Also, keep the overall shape balanced—the top is slightly narrower than the bottom.

青年 (qīng nián) means 'youth' and is used to talk about young people in school or work settings. 青草 (qīng cǎo) means 'green grass' and often appears in nature descriptions. 青苹果 (qīng píng guǒ) means 'green apple' and can refer to the fruit or metaphorically to something unripe.

青 is used for colors that are both blue and green, such as sky (青天) or grass (青草). It is also a key part of cultural terms like 青花瓷 (blue‑and‑white porcelain), a famous type of Chinese ceramic. In daily life, you see it in words for youth and fresh plants, reflecting ideas of growth and vitality.

Common words containing 青 include: 青年 (qīng nián) — youth; young people; 青草 (qīng cǎo) — green grass; 青苹果 (qīng píng guǒ) — green apple.