真っ青・真青|まっさおmassao[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
真っ青真っ青 is the most common written form and the recommended choice for beginners. It combines kanji and kana and covers all the senses of the entry.
真青真青 is less common than 真っ青 and is written entirely in kanji with irregular okurigana. Recognize it as a written variant, but prefer 真っ青.
Definitions
- na-adjective, noundeep blue; bright blue
- na-adjective, nounghastly pale; pallid; white as a sheetこれをきいたとたん、彼は真っ青になった。↗On hearing this, he turned pale.
Conjugation
| Plain form | 真っ青（まっさお） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 真っ青です（まっさおです） |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 真っ青ではない（まっさおではない） |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 真っ青ではありません（まっさおではありません） |
| Past (datta) | 真っ青だった（まっさおだった） |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 真っ青ではなかった（まっさおではなかった） |
| Te form (de) | 真っ青で（まっさおで） |
| Adverbial (ni) | 真っ青に（まっさおに） |
| Conditional (nara) | 真っ青なら（まっさおなら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym青白いあおじろいNeutralDescribes a pale, wan complexion, usually from illness or poor health; 「真っ青」 is typically the look of someone drained pale by fright.
- Related青いあおいNeutralCovers blue in general, or a face turned somewhat pale, with no particular intensity; 「真っ青」 stresses pure, deep blue or a deathly pale face.
Use 「真っ青」 for deep, pure blue or a face gone white with fright, as in 「顔が真っ青になる」; for blue in general pick 「青い」, and for sickly paleness 「青白い」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
See also
