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March 24, 2026
沧(滄)cāng(cang1)
The character 沧 (cāng) primarily refers to a shade of blue-green or azure, often associated with vast bodies of water like the sea. It conveys feelings of coldness and vastness, making it suitable for poetic descriptions of nature and the ocean. It is commonly used in literary contexts to evoke imagery of expansive and deep waters.
Strokes7Radical氵Frequency#57153DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese poetry and literature, the vastness of the sea is often a metaphor for life’s challenges and emotions, with 沧 frequently appearing in works that reflect on nature and the human experience, symbolizing depth and tranquility.
Memory Tip
Imagine the sound 'cāng' as resembling the sound of waves crashing against rocks. The character 沧 looks like a wave (氵) flowing through a vast (苍) landscape, with its blue-green hues reflecting the coldness of deep ocean waters.
Meanings of 沧
cāng(cang1)
1blue-green or azure (of water)
2vast (of water)
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 沧 means.
About 沧
沧Simplified
滄Traditional
7Strokes
氵Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#57153Frequency Rank
Podcast: 沧
Podcast: 沧
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AI Study Notes for 沧
Quick Contrast
海 (hǎi, sea) — use 沧 when emphasizing the color or vastness of water, while 海 refers specifically to the body of water itself.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 沧 with similar characters like 苍 (cāng, meaning 'pale blue' or 'grayish blue'), which can lead to miscommunication when describing colors. The character is more formal, commonly found in literature, so it might not be used in everyday casual conversation. Pay attention to the fourth tone to avoid confusion with other words.
HSK Study Tips
Although 沧 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be connected to words describing nature and colors at HSK Level 3 and above. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in literary texts to deepen their understanding of descriptive language in Chinese.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes mistakenly use 沧 interchangeably with similar characters like 苍, leading to incorrect color descriptions. Always remember that 沧 specifically refers to the blue-green of vast waters.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 沧
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How Well Do You Know 沧?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 沧 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
沧 = 氵 + 仓. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 沧
IDS Structure⿰氵仓
沧Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
仓cang1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 沧?
How to say blue-green or azure (of water) in Chinese
“blue-green or azure (of water)” in Chinese is沧cāng
The character 沧 (cāng) primarily refers to a shade of blue-green or azure, often associated with vast bodies of water like the sea. It conveys feelings of coldness and vastness, making it suitable for poetic descriptions of nature and the ocean. It is commonly used in literary contexts to evoke imagery of expansive and deep waters.
When to use 沧
Learners often confuse 沧 with similar characters like 苍 (cāng, meaning 'pale blue' or 'grayish blue'), which can lead to miscommunication when describing colors. The character is more formal, commonly found in literature, so it might not be used in everyday casual conversation. Pay attention to the fourth tone to avoid confusion with other words.
沧 or something close to it
海 (hǎi, sea) — use 沧 when emphasizing the color or vastness of water, while 海 refers specifically to the body of water itself.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes mistakenly use 沧 interchangeably with similar characters like 苍, leading to incorrect color descriptions. Always remember that 沧 specifically refers to the blue-green of vast waters.
Write 沧
沧
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Practice writing 沧 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 沧
沧 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
____海横流,方显出英雄本色.
When the seas are in turmoil , heroes are on their mettle.
