In Japanese, the word for blue is 青 (ao), pronounced ah-oh. Interestingly, 青 can also refer to shades of green in certain contexts, especially in traditional usage. For example, traffic lights in Japan are often referred to as 青信号 (ao shingō) even though the “go” light is green.
Modern Japanese distinguishes green more explicitly with the word 緑 (midori) for clarity. However, the overlap in usage highlights how color perception and language have evolved in Japan.
When describing something blue, such as the sky or ocean, you might say:
- 青い空 (aoi sora) = Blue sky
- 青い海 (aoi umi) = Blue ocean
The word ao is versatile and deeply embedded in Japanese culture and language!