Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Blue: The color of a clear sky or the deep sea.
   • Green: The color of growing grass or most leaves.
   • Unripe, immature: Describing fruit that is not yet ripe.
   • Pale, pallid: Describing a person's complexion, often due to illness or poor health.
   • Young, youthful: Referring to a young age or the prime of youth.

2. Noun (literary, abbreviation):

   • The Sky, Heaven: A poetic term for the sky or heaven (short for "ông xanh").

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Trời xanh. (The blue sky.)
  • Cây xanh. (Green trees.)
  • Quả ổi còn xanh. (The guava is still unripe/green.)
  • Da mặt anh ấy trông hơi xanh. (His face looks a bit pale.)
  • Tuổi xanh. (Youthful age.)

• Noun:

  • Xanh kia thăm thẳm tầng trên. (That sky, profoundly deep in the heights above.)

Advanced Usage

• "bật đèn xanh": to give the green light (to something); to give permission or approval.

  • Chính phủ đã bật đèn xanh cho dự án mới. (The government has given the green light to the new project.)

• "xanh nhà hơn già đồng": (proverb) Literally "green at home is better than ripe in the field." It means it's better to be safe and secure (e.g., harvesting early) than to risk loss for potentially greater gain.

  • Anh quyết định bán cổ phiếu sớm, xanh nhà hơn già đồng mà. (He decided to sell the stocks early, better safe than sorry.)

• "xanh như tàu lá": as pale/green as a banana leaf; very pale or sickly-looking.

  • Sau trận ốm, cô ấy xanh như tàu lá. (After the illness, she was as pale as a ghost.)

• "xanh xanh": (reduplicated form) bluish, greenish; a light or faint shade of blue or green.

  • Màu nước biển ở đây xanh xanh. (The sea water here is bluish-green.)

Variants and Related Words

• Xanh biếc / Xanh lè / Xanh ngắt / Xanh rờn / Xanh mướt: Intensifiers or descriptive variants for "xanh," indicating deep, vivid, or lush shades of blue or green.

  • Bầu trời xanh ngắt. (The sky is a deep, clear blue.)
  • Cánh đồng xanh mướt. (The field is lush green.)

• Xanh non: Light green, tender green (like new leaves).

  • Lá xanh non. (Tender green leaves.)

• Xanh mét: (of complexion) Deathly pale, ashen.

  • Nghe tin dữ, mặt anh ta tái xanh mét. (Hearing the bad news, his face turned deathly pale.)

Synonyms

• Màu lam / Màu nước biển: Blue, azure (for blue).
• Màu lục / Màu lá cây: Green (for green).
• Tái / Nhợt nhạt: Pale, pallid (for pale complexion).
• Trẻ trung / Thanh xuân: Young, youthful.

Idioms and Fixed Expressions

• Ông xanh: Literally "Mr. Blue," a poetic/personified term for the sky, heaven, or fate.

  • Nhờ ơn ông xanh. (Thanks to heaven/fate.)

• Mắt xanh: (Literally "green eyes") A term from classical literature, often used to describe a discerning or favorable glance from a beautiful woman, implying recognition or favor.

  • Được nàng để mắt xanh tới. (To receive a favorable glance from her.)

adj

1. blue, green