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碧 (bì) — (bound form) bluish-green, emerald green

Definition

A literary, bound-form color word meaning 'jade-green / bluish-green' — always combines with another character (e.g. 碧绿, 碧空, 碧玉). Not used alone in modern speech; prefer 绿 or 蓝 for everyday 'green' and 'blue'.

bound form
bluish-greenemerald green

Examples

  • ，。
    Chūn tiān dào le, shān shàng yí piàn bì lǜ.
    Spring has arrived, and the mountains are a stretch of emerald green.
  • ，碧，。
    Zài gāo yuán shàng, bì kōng rú xǐ, lìng rén xīn kuàng shén yí.
    On the plateau, the blue sky is as clear as if washed, refreshing the mind and spirit.
  • 碧。
    Tā dài zhe yì zhī bì yù shǒu zhuó.
    She is wearing a jade bracelet.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
王Written in full as玉yùjade
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái碧bì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

碧 combines 王 (jade, written fully as 玉) and 石 (stone), with 白 giving the sound.

Appears in
Colors

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