indigo
/ˈɪn.dɪ.ɡəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪn.dɪ.ɡoʊ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈin-di-ˌgō/ (ame, mw) · /ˈɪndɪɡəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪndɪɡəʊ/ (ame, ipa)
indigo — 名詞
1. a dark shade sitting between blue and violet on the colour spectrum, often descr
靛藍色
介於藍與紫之間的深色調
a dark shade sitting between blue and violet on the colour spectrum, often described as the sixth band in a rainbow.
Cyrus painted the night sky in deep indigo, with tiny silver stars scattered across it.
Cyrus 把夜空畫成深靛藍色，上面點綴著細小的銀色星星。
noun as paint/colour name in art context
The bridesmaids wore long dresses in indigo, which looked almost black under the dim lights.
伴娘們穿著靛藍色的長禮服，在昏暗燈光下看起來幾乎是黑色的。
noun referring to dress colour
Naoko chose indigo for the living room walls because it felt calm but rich.
Naoko 把客廳牆面選擇靛藍色，因為這個顏色讓人感到沉穩又有質感。
On the colour wheel taught in art class, indigo sits between blue and violet.
在美術課教的色相環上，靛藍色介於藍色與紫色之間。
- violet-blue
descriptive compound; more technical
- navy
darker and less purple; navy lacks indigo's red undertone
文法句型
[noun] (uncountable)
用法筆記
Often used by writers and designers when 'dark blue' feels too plain; signals a richer, slightly purple tone.
常見錯誤
2. a colouring substance used to turn cloth or yarn a strong blue shade; once extra
靛藍染料
把布料染成深藍色的著色劑
a colouring substance used to turn cloth or yarn a strong blue shade; once extracted from plants, today usually produced in factories.
Traditional weavers in Tunde's village still use indigo to dye their cotton cloth by hand.
Tunde 村裡的傳統織工至今仍用靛藍染料手工染棉布。
use indigo to dye [fabric]
Most blue jeans get their colour from synthetic indigo made in chemical plants.
大部分藍色牛仔褲的顏色，來自化工廠製造的合成靛藍染料。
synthetic indigo as commercial dye source
Arjun's hands were stained with indigo after a long afternoon at the dye workshop.
在染坊待了一整個下午後，Arjun 的雙手沾滿了靛藍染料。
The museum showed how merchants once shipped indigo from India to Europe in large wooden barrels.
博物館展示了商人過去如何用大木桶把靛藍染料從印度運到歐洲。
文法句型
[noun] (uncountable)
用法筆記
Often paired with verbs like 'dye', 'stain', or 'extract'. Subject of historical and trade contexts because indigo was a major export crop for centuries.
3. a warm-climate shrub whose leaves were once harvested and processed to produce b
木藍
葉子可製藍染料的熱帶灌木
a warm-climate shrub whose leaves were once harvested and processed to produce blue dye for cloth.
Farmers in colonial Bengal were forced by British traders to grow indigo instead of food crops.
殖民時期的孟加拉農民被英國商人強迫種植木藍，而不能種糧食作物。
indigo as cultivated crop, historical context
Linh studied how indigo grows best in hot, wet regions with rich soil.
Linh 研究木藍在炎熱潮濕、土壤肥沃的地區生長得最好。
growing conditions for the plant
Rows of young indigo stretched across the field, their small leaves still pale green.
一排排年輕的木藍植株延伸到田野遠處，小葉子還呈現淡綠色。
The botanical garden grew several types of indigo, each labelled with its scientific name.
植物園種了好幾種木藍，每一種都附上學名標籤。
- indigo plant
fuller, less ambiguous form; preferred when context might suggest the dye
文法句型
[noun]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2: this sense names the living plant; sense 2 names the dye made from it. Often appears in historical, agricultural, or botanical writing.
indigo — 形容詞
- indigopositive
- more indigocomparative
- most indigosuperlative
1. describing something whose colour is a deep mix of blue and purple, darker than
靛藍的
藍紫相間、比一般藍更深的
describing something whose colour is a deep mix of blue and purple, darker than ordinary blue.
Sofia wore an indigo scarf that picked up the colour of her earrings.
Sofia 戴了一條靛藍色的圍巾，正好呼應她耳環的色調。
attributive: indigo + noun (clothing)
The mountains looked indigo just before sunset, with mist rising from the valley.
日落前山看起來呈靛藍色，山谷裡飄著薄霧。
predicative: [thing] looked indigo
Joaquín picked an indigo tile for the kitchen splashback because it matched the cabinets.
Joaquín 為廚房擋水牆挑了一塊靛藍色的磁磚，因為和櫥櫃顏色很搭。
Tara's eyes turned indigo in certain lights, almost like the deep sea at dusk.
在某些光線下，Tara 的眼睛看起來是靛藍色的，幾乎像黃昏時的深海。
- violet-blue
more technical; common in design or scientific contexts
- midnight blue
very dark blue but with less purple; lacks the red undertone
- pale blue
much lighter and without purple tint
文法句型
[adjective] + [noun]
be + [adjective]
用法筆記
Frequently attributive before clothing, fabric, or natural features (sky, sea, mountains). Reach for it when 'dark blue' feels imprecise and the colour clearly carries a purple tint.