Qinglongxia information

[greatwallforum]

Chinese: 青龙峡
Pinyin: Qīng lóng xià
English: Green dragon gorge
GPS coordinates: 40°27'8"N 116°40'14"E

[chinoook]

Originally Posted by greatwallforum

Chinese: 青龙峡
Pinyin: Qīng lóng xià
English: Blue dragon gorge
GPS coordiates: 40°27'8"N 116°40'14"E

Qing is a word I never understood. Qingdao (青岛) is supposed to mean "green island". But in several situations it also can mean "black". So could a native speaker please tell us wether green is blue or black


-chinoook

[Kim]

Most likely green.

Info from Wenlin e-dictionary:

青龙[-龍] qīnglóng n.
①Green Dragon (symbol of the east and of spring)
②〈Dao.〉 guardian spirit of the east

[greatwallforum]

Did it again! Don't I know the difference between green and blue? How do you say "colorblind" in Chinese?

[Kim]

Did it again! Don't I know the difference between green and blue?

Actually it can also mean blue:

青 ³qīng s.v.
①nature's color; green; blue; greenish black
②not ripe

But regarding Qinglong it's most likely green.

[greatwallforum]

Well, that makes me feel better! Hey, can't it mean young too? Are there any young dragons? All the dragons I have seen have been old, regardless of color...

[Kim]

年轻/青[-輕/青] niánqīng s.v. young

[Lingyu]

"Colorblind" in Chinese is 色盲 se mang.

In color, 青(qing) is between green and blue, or lightly greenish black. On the other hand, 青 also means young. Green mountains are usually full of green trees and bushes, and they look very vigorous like energetic young people. So in figuration, people call green mountains 青山(qing shan).

In addition, 青 also means premature, like premature fruits, or premature young people, as Kim quoted: not ripe.