探索中國思想史中「情」概念的形成，是一個複雜的議題。本文嘗試從詞義演化的面向，從「青」字的起源，探究「情」概念形成之前的一些可能字義淵源。本文蠡測「情」字的形成過程，從「青」、「情」二字的關係著眼。綜觀學界的不同意見，本文傾向主張「青」是「情」的本字，「青」、「情」二字是同源分化關係。「青」字本義應是一個文化詞，與宗廟祭祀有關；由部件「生」字，衍生出後來的各種抽象義，包括顏色義，以及「本質」、「真誠」等引申義，進而孳乳出後來的「情」字。

Exploring the formation of the concept of Qíng 情 in the history of Chinese thought is a complex issue. This article traces the origin of the character Qīng 青 from the perspective of character evolution, based on philological research, and points out some possible origins for the concept of Qīng 青. There are substantial differences of opinion on the relationship between Qīng 青 and Qíng 情, and this article furthers the argument that Qīng 青 is the original character for Qíng 情, speculating that Qīng 青 and Qíng 情 are simultaneously homologous and differentiated. The original meaning of the word Qīng 青 would have been a culture-word related to ancestral temple sacrificial offerings; and because of the sheng 生 component, the meaning of color and extended meanings such as “essence” and “sincere” evolved. Some of these meanings then became later connotations of the word Qíng 情.