Phrase guide

little blue man

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A member of the Maritime Militia of the People's Republic of China, primarily composed of fishing and motorboats, who aid in the pursuit of its maritime interests in disputed waters (and especially those relating to the territorial disputes in the South China Sea); chiefly when viewed as a covert projection of power, intended to encroach on the sovereignty of other countries.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: in-plural

Topics: geopolitics, government, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From little + blue + man. Coined by Andrew S. Erickson of the Naval War College by analogy with little green man, Russian covert soldiers deployed during the 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 小藍人 /小蓝人 (xiǎolánrén) — Translations