湛蓝 (zhàn la) — azure (a deep, clear blue color)

Definition

A literary, written-style word for a deep clear blue — like the sky or sea. More formal and elevated than 蓝色 (the everyday word for 'blue').

noun

azure (a deep, clear blue color)

湛蓝。
Tiān kōng de zhàn la zhēn měi.
The azure of the sky is really beautiful.
湛蓝。
Zhè fú huà de zhàn la hěn tè bié.
The azure in this painting is very special.
湛蓝。
Wǒ xǐ huan zhè zhǒng zhàn la.
I like this kind of azure.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

湛zhàndeep

湛 adds a sense of deep and clear to 蓝, giving a rich azure color.

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.

氵甚湛

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

甚

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

The left part 氵 is water; the right part 甚 gives the sound shèn.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 藍; 蓝 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艸艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

監

監jiān藍lán

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

For 蓝, the traditional form 藍 has 艸, grass, above 監, which gives the sound.

Appears in