藍

Phono-semantic compound consisting of:

艸 (풀 초) — semantic component, indicating a plant or vegetation.

監 (볼 감) — phonetic component, providing the sound lám / ram and hinting at the idea of depth or reflection.

Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字):

「藍，染草也。从艸，監聲。」

“藍 is a plant used for dyeing. Formed from 艸 (‘grass’) and the sound 監 (‘to observe’).”

Thus, 藍 originally referred to the indigo plant (Polygonum tinctorium), from which indigo-blue dye was extracted — one of the most valued natural pigments in ancient East Asia.

The phonetic element 監 not only supplies sound but also evokes the image of clarity and reflection, linking the blue dye’s transparent brilliance with the act of seeing or observing.

藍色 (람색 / 남색) — indigo color; blue

靑藍 (청람) — blue-green; refined taste or elegance

藍靛 (람전) — indigo dye (deep blue pigment)

靛藍 (전람) — dark indigo blue

藍草 (람초) — indigo plant

藍圖 (람도) — blueprint; plan (lit. “blue drawing”)

藍本 (람본) — original text; prototype (lit. “blue copy”)

靑出於藍 (청출어람) — “Blue comes from indigo, yet is bluer than indigo” (idiom meaning: the student surpasses the master)

In the Chinese color system, 靑 and 藍 were once overlapping terms, both describing the blue-green spectrum of nature.

Over time, 藍 came to denote the darker, purer blue — especially that produced by indigo dye — while 靑 retained its broader sense of bluish-green freshness.

In modern Chinese, 藍色 (lánsè) means blue, and 靑色 (qīngsè) is often closer to greenish-blue.

In Japanese, 藍 (あい, ai) refers specifically to indigo dye and is an important cultural color.

In Korean, 남색 (藍色) means deep blue or navy blue, while 청색 (靑色) refers to the general blue family.

Historical and linguistic notes:

In early Chinese, 藍 referred specifically to the dying plant used to produce deep blue pigment, derived from the leaves of Indigofera tinctoria or Polygonum tinctorium.

This dye was one of the most significant natural colorants in premodern Asia, used for fabrics, manuscripts, and artistic painting.

Because of its cultural and symbolic association with refinement, discipline, and the arts, the word 藍 gradually expanded from a material term to an aesthetic and moral one.

The famous idiom from Xunzi (荀子 · 勸學篇) expresses this shift beautifully:

「靑出於藍，而勝於藍。」

“Blue comes from indigo, yet is bluer than indigo.”

This metaphor illustrates the principle of surpassing one’s origins — a student excelling beyond his teacher, or the later generation improving upon the earlier — and became a cornerstone phrase in East Asian educational philosophy, symbolizing the creative potential of education and moral refinement.

藍 carries rich symbolic connotations across Chinese, Korean, and Japanese traditions:

Color symbolism:

Represents deep blue or indigo, distinct from the lighter green-blue of 靑 (청).

Associated with depth, constancy, and clarity — the stable hue that remains after repeated immersion and refinement in dyeing.

Moral and aesthetic symbolism:

In Confucian culture, 藍 symbolizes self-cultivation — the idea that human character deepens through learning and discipline, just as the dye deepens through repeated soaking.

Literary and artistic associations:

Poets of the Tang and Song dynasties used 藍 to describe the color of distant mountains, sea horizons, and robes of scholars, connecting the hue with tranquility and depth of mind.

「藍田日暖玉生煙。」 (Wang Wei, 王維)

“In the warm sun of Lantian, the jade breathes out blue mist” — here 藍 evokes serene, spiritual beauty.

Thus, 藍 is not merely a color but a symbol of depth, transformation, and the creative spirit of learning and renewal.