Meaning

Primary

Blue

Alternative

Unripe

Word Type

い adjective

Explanation

This is a single kanji with an on the end, meaning you know it's probably an adjective. What's the adjective form of blue? It's still blue! It can also mean unripe, which might sound confusing, but it comes down to the fact that in Japanese there's some overlap between blue and green. So while in English we think of the "go" traffic light and unripe bananas as "green," in Japanese they're actually called "blue."

Reading

あおい
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You didn't learn that reading with this kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you:

You have to remember the あお portion to read this word. Think of blue things on your body. Those are bruises. Touch them. What would you say? OW! (あお).

Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 青い空

    blue sky

    青い光

    blue light

    青い色

    a blue color

Context Sentences

この青い花はスイートピーです。

This blue flower is sweet pea.

このオレンジ、まだ青いですね。

This orange is still unripe.

青い空と白いビーチのある町はどこですか?

Where is the town with blue skies and white beaches?

Kanji Composition