青天

qīngtiān

noun #35,575

Meanings

1 clear blue sky
2 an upright and honorable official

Characters

blue-green / azure

Examples

HSK 7-9

晴朗的青天上飘着几朵白云。

Qínglǎng de qīngtiān shàng piāo zhe jǐ duǒ báiyún.

A few white clouds floated in the bright blue sky.

HSK 7-9

百姓都把他当作青天大老爷。

Bǎixìng dōu bǎ tā dàngzuò qīngtiān dà lǎoye.

The common people regarded him as an upright magistrate.

Tips

culture

The 'honest official' meaning comes from 包青天 (Bāo Qīngtiān) - Northern-Song judge 包拯 (999-1062), proverbial in folklore for incorruptibility. So 青天 = blue sky a good official is so transparent his rulings are 'clear as the blue sky'. Often expanded as 青天大老爷 ('honorable upright magistrate').

Stroke Order

青 qīng

天 tiān