Japanese meaning of 青は藍より出でて藍より青し
Reading:
あおはあいよりいでてあいよりあおし (ao wa ai yori idete ai yori aoshi)
English Translation:
The pupil surpasses the master
Meaning & Cultural Context
Meaning:
A student can surpass their teacher.
Cultural Context:
Comes from indigo dyeing, where cloth becomes bluer than the indigo plant. Used in education and skill-based contexts.
弟子が師匠を超えることを意味する。
藍染めで生地が元の藍よりも青くなることに由来。教育や技能の分野で使われる。
Grammar & Learning Points
Grammar Point
• 青 (ao) = “blue” (noun)
• は (wa) = topic particle, marking “blue” as the topic
• 藍より出でて (ai yori idete) = “coming from indigo”; 藍 (ai, “indigo”) + より (yori, “from”) + 出でて (idete, classical continuative form of 出づ “to come/go out”)
• 藍より青し (ai yori aoshi) = “bluer than indigo”; 青し (aoshi) is the classical adjective form of 青い (aoi)
Two parallel clauses are placed side by side without a conjunction, using repetition for emphasis.
Trap for English Speakers
Old-fashioned ending “し” may be mistaken for the modern verb “する” rather than an adjective ending.
Example
Basic Example
教え子が大会で優勝した。青は藍より出でて藍より青しだね。
My student won the championship—The pupil surpasses the master.
Applied Example
師匠の剣技を超えるなんて…青は藍より出でて藍より青し！
The apprentice outdid the sword master—The pupil surpasses the master.