藍

Meaning: “indigo”

/awi/ → */aji/ → /ai/ From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *awoy. There are various theories regarding the ultimate derivation, all suggesting a relation to 青(あを) (awo → ao, “blue”): * May be an alteration from 青(あを)色(いろ) (awoiro → aoiro): *: ⟨awoiro₂⟩ → /awoirə/ → /awɨrə/ → /airo/ → /ai/ * May be a fusion of 青(あを) (awo → ao) and い (i, emphatic particle): *: */awo i/ → */awɨ/ → */awi/ → */aji/ → /ai/ * May be derived from a compound of 青(あを) (awo → ao) + 居(ゐ) (wi → i, “there is”), expressing the sense that the indigo plant contains the color blue: *: /awowi/ → */awːɨ/ → /awi/ → */aji/ → /ai/