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绿色 (lǜ sè) — green; green color

Definition

The straightforward, neutral word for 'green' as a color — used for things like clothes, bags, and objects. Unlike 青, it always means green (not blue-green or young), and unlike 嫩 it describes the color itself, not something fresh or soft.

greengreen color

Examples

  • 绿色。
    Tā xǐ huan lǜ sè de yán sè.
    He likes the color green.
  • 绿色。
    Wǒ de lǜ sè yī fu hěn piào liang.
    My green clothes are very pretty.
  • 绿色。
    Tā de lǜ sè shū bāo hěn xīn.
    Her green backpack is very new.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 綠; 绿 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
彔
彔lù綠lù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 綠 uses 糸 to show silk and 彔 for sound; the simplified 绿 is a later abbreviation, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 绿 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 爪爪zhuǎclaw; hand
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

色 pairs 爪 (a hand) with 卩 (a kneeling person), showing a hand pressing down on the kneeling person.

Open 色 →
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