Comprehensive List of Japanese Color Words84

The Japanese language has a rich and diverse vocabulary for colors, with many shades and variations that can be used to describe a wide range of objects and concepts. Here is a comprehensive list of Japanese color words, organized by hue, along with their English translations and Romaji spellings:

Primary Colors

- 赤 (aka): Red
- 青 (ao): Blue
- 黄 (ki): Yellow

Secondary Colors

- 緑 (midori): Green
- 紫 (murasaki): Purple
- オレンジ (orenji): Orange

Variations and Shades

Red

- 茜 (akane): A deep red, like the color of madder root
- 朱色 (shu-iro): Vermilion or cinnabar red
- 紅色 (beni-iro): Crimson red
- 猩猩緋 (shōjōhi): Scarlet red
- 桃色 (momo-iro): Pink
- 薄紅色 (usubeni-iro): Light pink

Blue

- 紺色 (kon-iro): Navy blue
- 藍色 (ai-iro): Indigo blue
- 水色 (mizuiro): Light blue, like the color of water
- 瑠璃色 (ruri-iro): Azure blue
- 群青色 (gunjō-iro): Ultramarine blue
- 山吹色 (yamagobōshi-iro): A yellowish-green color, like the color of the yamagobōshi flower

Yellow

- 金色 (konjiki-iro): Gold
- 銀色 (gin-iro): Silver
- 黄色 (ki-iro): Yellow
- 橙色 (daidai-iro): Orange
- 褐色 (kachi-iro): Brown
- 茶色 (cha-iro): Brown

Green

- 深緑色 (fukamidori-iro): Dark green
- 萌葱色 (moegi-iro): A light green, like the color of new grass
- 若草色 (wakakusa-iro): A light green, like the color of young grass
- 抹茶色 (matcha-iro): Green, like the color of matcha tea
- 苔色 (koke-iro): Moss green
- OLIVE (orivu): Olive green

Purple

- 藤色 (fuji-iro): Wisteria purple
- 薄紫色 (usumurasaki-iro): Light purple
- 濃紫色 (koimurasaki-iro): Dark purple
- 菫色 (sumire-iro): Violet
- 漆色 (urushi-iro): A deep reddish-brown color, like the color of lacquer

Orange

- 橙色 (orenji-iro): Orange
- 柿色 (kaki-iro): Persimmon orange
- サーモン (sāmon): Salmon pink

Other Colors

- 黒色 (kuro-iro): Black
- 白色 (shiro-iro): White
- 灰色 (hai-iro): Gray
- 透明色 (tōmei-iro): Transparent

Color Idioms and Expressions

In addition to the basic color words, Japanese also has a number of idioms and expressions that use colors to convey specific meanings or emotions. Here are a few examples:

- 青二才 (ao-nisei): A young and inexperienced person (literally, "blue two years old")
- 黄昏時 (tasogare-doki): Twilight (literally, "yellow dusk")
- 花の色は移りにけりな (hana no iro wa utsuro ni keri na): The beauty of flowers fades (literally, "the color of flowers has changed")

Conclusion

The Japanese language's rich vocabulary for colors allows for precise and nuanced descriptions of the world around us. From the vivid hues of primary colors to the subtle variations of secondary shades, Japanese color words help us to capture the beauty and diversity of our experiences.

2024-11-09

Previous：Contemporary German Vocabulary at the L9 Level

Next：The German Word for Sportsmanship: Fair Play