Translation guide
The English word "colors" can refer to hues, pigments, or even flags and emotions. This guide covers how to talk about colors naturally in Japanese, from basic color words to describing shades and color-related expressions.
好きな色は何ですか？
What is your favorite color?
青が好きです。
I like blue.
Referring to colors in general, or naming specific colors.
The most common word for 'color' or 'colors'. Use it to talk about colors in general.
好きな色は何ですか？
What is your favorite color?
この色、きれいだね。
This color is pretty, isn't it?
A more formal or literary term for 'colors' or 'coloring'. Often used in art or design contexts.
この絵は色彩が豊かだ。
This painting has rich colors.
Loanword from English, often used in compound words like 'color TV' or 'color copy'.
カラーコピーをお願いします。
A color copy, please.
Naming individual colors like red, blue, green, etc.
Red. One of the basic color terms. Can be used as a noun or with い-adjective form 赤い.
Blue (also historically green for traffic lights and some fruits/vegetables). Adjective form: 青い.
空が青い。
The sky is blue.
Yellow. Adjective form: 黄色い.
Green. Note: no common い-adjective form; use 緑の + noun.
Black. Adjective form: 黒い.
黒い猫がいる。
There is a black cat.
White. Adjective form: 白い.
白いシャツを着ている。
He is wearing a white shirt.
Talking about light, dark, bright, or dull colors.
Use 濃い (dark/deep) and 薄い (light/pale) with color nouns to describe shade intensity.
明るい means bright/light, 暗い means dark. Can be used with 色 or specific color words.
明るい色の服を着てください。
Please wear bright-colored clothes.
暗い緑色の葉っぱ。
Dark green leaves.
Vivid, brilliant. Often used to describe striking colors.
Referring to physical coloring materials like paints, crayons, or dyes.
Using color words in figurative or set phrases.
Various, many kinds. Literally 'colors colors', but means 'various'.
色々な国に行きたい。
I want to go to various countries.
To add color (literally), or to give a discount/bonus (figuratively).
Referring to colors representing a country, team, or organization.
National colors (loanword). Often used in sports contexts.
日本のナショナルカラーは赤と白です。
Japan's national colors are red and white.
Team colors.
このチームのチームカラーは青だ。
This team's color is blue.
Many basic color words have both a noun form (e.g., 赤) and an い-adjective form (赤い). Use the noun form with の to modify nouns (赤の車) or the adjective form directly (赤い車). However, some colors like 緑 (green) and 紫 (purple) lack common い-adjective forms; use 緑の, 紫の instead.
Historically, 青 (あお) covered both blue and green. This still appears in words like 青信号 (green traffic light) and 青々とした (lush green). For modern green, use 緑 (みどり).
青信号で渡りましょう。
Let's cross on the green light.
Yellow flowers are blooming.
Eat green vegetables.
鮮やかな色彩の絵。
A painting with vivid colors.
Colored pencils.
色鉛筆で絵を描く。
To draw a picture with colored pencils.
この染料は色落ちしない。
This dye doesn't fade.
They threw in something extra as a bonus.
To view with prejudice. Literally 'to see with colored glasses'.
彼はいつも色眼鏡で人を見る。
He always looks at people with prejudice.