青翠 (qīng cuì) — verdant, fresh and green

Definition

A literary, vivid adjective for lush, vivid green — typical of foliage, grass, or mountains in writing. More poetic than plain 绿 (plain 'green').

adjective

verdantfresh and green

Easily confused

青翠。
Yǔ hòu de cǎo dì qīng cuì.
After the rain, the grass is verdant.
青翠。
Shān shàng yǒu qīng cuì de zhú lín.
There is a verdant bamboo forest on the mountain.
青翠。
Chūn tiān de huā yuán hěn qīng cuì.
The garden in spring is fresh and green.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

翠cuìemerald green

“青” and “翠” both mean green, so together they describe fresh, lush greenery.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

An early form of 青 combined 生 and 井, both used for sound; the modern form has changed.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

羽卒翠

Meaning part形符xíngfú

羽羽yǔwing

Sound part声符shēngfú

卒

卒zú翠cuì

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

It is made from 羽, a wing, and 卒, which gives the sound.