真青

Compound of 真 (ma, “true, real, pure”) +‎ さ青 (sao, “quite blue”).^[1][2] In turn, the sao reflects Old Japanese さ青 (sawo), itself from mild emphatic prefix Old Japanese さ (sa-) + 青 (awo), with the identical medial vowels merging to avoid hiatus.^[3][4]

First attested in a text from 1120.^[1]

Superseded in modern usage by geminated version 真っ青 (massao).

• IPA^(key):

真(ま)青(さお) • (masao) ^{←まさを (masawo)?†}-nari

1. (archaic, Classical Japanese) deep blue, purely or entirely blue

真(ま)青(さお) • (masao) ^{←まさを (masawo)?}

1. (archaic, Classical Japanese) a deep blue, a pure blue

Compound of 真 (ma, “true, real, pure”) +‎ 青 (ao, “blue”).^[5] First cited to the early 1100s.^[5]

• IPA^(key):

真(ま)青(あお) • (maao) ^{←まあを (maawo)?†}-nari

1. (archaic, Classical Japanese) deep blue, purely or entirely blue

真(ま)青(あお) • (maao) ^{←まあを (maawo)?}

1. (archaic, Classical Japanese) a deep blue, a pure blue

Alternative spelling of 真っ青 (massao).