How to say 'Pale' or 'Deep blue' in Japanese | 真っ青

word

Meaning

Pale, Deep blue

Reading

Kanji

真Truth 青Blue

Explanation

The Japanese adjectival noun '真っ青 (まっさお)' has two distinct meanings. The first meaning is 'deep blue', referring to a vivid, intense shade of blue, often used to describe the color of the sky or the sea. For example: The sea is deep blue today「今日の海は真っ青だ」(きょうのうみはまっさおだ). The second meaning is 'pale', used to describe someone's complexion when they are shocked, scared, or unwell. For example: His face turned pale「彼の顔は真っ青になった」(かれのかおはまっさおになった). These two meanings are unrelated and context-dependent, so it's important to pay attention to the situation in which the word is used.

Part Of Speech

adjectival noun

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

1182

Composition

kanji-hiragana

Handwriting