青い・蒼い・碧い|あおいaoi[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
青い青い is the most common written form and the recommended choice for beginners.
蒼い蒼い is a less common mixed kanji-and-kana variant; beginners should use 青い instead.
碧い碧い is a rarely used mixed kanji-and-kana variant, so beginners should use 青い instead.
Definitions
- i-adjectiveblue; azure
- i-adjectivegreenmostly archaic or in ref. to fruits, vegetables and traffic lights
- i-adjectivepale (facial color); gray; grey
- i-adjectiveunripe; inexperienced
Conjugation
| Plain form | 青い（あおい） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 青いです（あおいです） |
| Negative (kunai) | 青くない（あおくない） |
| polite (ku arimasen) | 青くありません（あおくありません） |
| Past (katta) | 青かった（あおかった） |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | 青くなかった（あおくなかった） |
| Te form (kute) | 青くて（あおくて） |
| Adverbial (ku) | 青く（あおく） |
| Conditional (kereba) | 青ければ（あおければ） |
| kattara | 青かったら（あおかったら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Related青白いあおじろいNeutralNeutral. Describes a pale, faintly bluish face, as in 「青白い顔」, with a sickly, unwell feel.
- Related真っ青まっさおNeutralNeutral. Deep, vivid blue; also describes going white with fright, as in 「真っ青になる」.
- Related未熟みじゅくNeutralNeutral. Matches the 'immature' sense of 「青い」: short on experience or skill.
- Related若いわかいNeutralNeutral. Covers the 'green' sense of 「青い」 by simply meaning young; not pejorative in itself.
- Related青っぽいあおっぽいCasualColloquial. Says something is tinged with blue or green; also used of immature thinking, as in 「青っぽい考え」.
- Related蒼白そうはくWrittenWritten/formal prose. A face drained of color, as in 「顔面蒼白」; found mostly in written description.
- RelatedすれてないCasualColloquial. Says someone is still green and simple, without worldly slickness; positive nuance.
- Related乳臭いちちくさいCasualColloquial. Dismissive way to call someone immature, wet behind the ears, as in 「乳臭い若造」.
- Related未成熟みせいじゅくWrittenWritten/formal prose. Says mind, body or abilities have not yet fully developed.
- Related生熟れなまなれCasualColloquial. Unpolished skills and shallow experience; also a type of sushi. Rare in modern usage.
「青い」 is the default for blue, for the green of foliage and unripe fruit, and for the 'inexperienced' sense; an ordinary green is 「緑」. For a pale face pick 「青白い」 or 「蒼白」; for going white with fright 「真っ青」; for lacking experience or skill 「未熟」; to call someone wet behind the ears 「乳臭い」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
