[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Natural-World \ #Landforms # 碧 bì green jade; light green ## Components [[石 (shí)]] [[王 (wáng，yù)]] [[王 wáng]] [[白 bái]] [[白 (bái)]] ## Meaning Today, the character 碧 (bì) primarily signifies "green" or "jade" in modern Chinese usage. It can refer to the color green or green-colored objects. Additionally, it still retains its association with jade, particularly green jade, which is highly valued in Chinese culture for its beauty and symbolism. ## History The character 碧 (bì) is a compound ideogram. It combines the radicals for "jade" (玉), "stone" (石), and "white" (白), representing a bright and shiny beautiful stone. Its original meaning is "green jade." It's both a compound ideogram and a phono-semantic character. In seal script, it combines the radical for "stone" with the character for "amber" (琥珀), which symbolizes both "amber" and provides the sound component. In clerical script, it evolved into its current form. Originally, "碧" referred to green jade, as seen in《山海经•西山经》: "The mountains below are abundant in green jade." This term signifies green-colored jade. Since the color of green water resembles green jade, "碧" extended to refer to the color green. Additionally, it can describe the color green. For example, in a poem by Jiao Zhongqing's wife in《玉合新味》: "Green silk ropes." Or in a poem by the Song Dynasty poet Lu You, "Green peaks rise steeply." Similarly, in a passage by Lady Wang, "When it's cold, it's a lane, when it's spring, it's green." ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ? ### Bronze Script ? ### Seal Script ![[碧 bì - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[碧 bì - cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[碧 bì - regural.svg]]