Colour words in Japanese

Words for colours in Japanese with notes on their etymology and usage.

黒 / 黒い (kuro / kuroi) / ブラック (burakku) Shades of black and black-related expressions 墨色 (sumi-iro) - ink black

濡れ羽色 (nurebairo) - jet black

黒黒 / 黒々 (kuroguro) - deep black

真っ黒 / 真黒 (makkuro) - pitch black

烏羽色 (karasubairo) - glossy black

闇商人 (yamishōnin) - black marketeer

珍中の珍 (chinchū no chin - rarity; black swan

焼け野の鴉 (yakenonokarasu) - blacker than black 白 / 白い (shiro / shiroi) - white; good guy; 'white hat' Shades of white and white-related expressions 真白 (mashiro) - pure white

象牙色 (zōge-iro) - ivory-white

白紙 (hakushi) - blank/white paper 赤 / 赤い (aka / akai); 丹色 (ni-iro) Shades of red and red-related expressions 暗紅色 (ankōshoku) 暗赤色 (ansekishoku) - dark red

浅紅 (senkō) / 薄肉 (usuniku)) - light red

紅梅色 (kōbai-iro) - red plum coloured

桜色 (sakura-iro) - cherry blossom coloured

桃色 (momo-iro) - peach-coloured

紅海 (kōkai) - Red Sea

赤熱 (sekinetsu) - red hot 黄色 (ki-iro / ōshoku / kōshoku) - yellow, amber Shades of yellow and yellow-related expressions 淡黄色 (tanōshoku) - pale yellow, light yellow

鬱金色 (ukoniro) - yellow, saffron

朽ち葉色 (kuchiba-iro) - russet, tawny, yellow-brown

山吹色 (yamibuki-iro) - bright golden yellow

黄河 (kōka) - Yellow River

黄海 (kōkai) - Yellow Sea 青 / 青色 (ao / ao-iro) - blue/green / ブリュ (buryu) - blue Shades of blue and blue-related expressions ブルー (burū) = blue

水色 (mizu-iro / suishoku) - light blue, pale blue, aqua, colour of water

濃紺 (nōkon) - dark blue

紺色 (kon-iro) - deep blue

紺青 (konjō) - navy blue

空色 (sora-iro) - sky-blue

碧眼 (hekigan) - blue eyes 緑 (midori) - green

緑色 (midori-iro) - green, emerald green, green colour of new foliage Shades of green and green-related expressions 碧色 (kukishoku) - green; emerald

黄緑 (kimidori) / 浅緑 (asamidori) - light green

草色 (kusa-iro) / 暗緑色 (anryokushoku) - dark green

翡翠色 (hisui-iro) = jade green

翠黛 (suitai) - hazy green, green eyebrow pencil 茶色 (chairo) / 褐色 (kasshoku) - brown Shades of brown 黒茶色 (kurocha-iro) - deep brown

暗褐色 (ankashoku) / 濃褐色 (nōkasshoku) - dark brown

狐色 (kitsune-iro) 淡褐色 (tankasshoku) - light brown

桃色 (momoiro) / 淡紅色 (tankōshoku) / ピンク - pink Shades of pink and pink-related expressions 濃桃 (nōtō) - deep pink

褪紅 (taikō) - light pink 橙色 (daidaiiro) / オレンジ (orenji) - orange 灰色 (haiiro) / 鼠色 (muzumi-iro) - grey 紫 (murasaki) / パープル (pāpuru) - purple Shades of purple and purple-related expressions 濃紫 (komurasaki) - dark purple

浅紫 (achimurasaki) - light purple

Hear Japanese colours:

Links

Japanese colour names

https://lingualift.com/blog/japanese-color-names/

http://www.demoivre.org/Japan/textiles/colors/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_colors_of_Japan

http://wafuku.wordpress.com/tag/japanese-color-names/

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