Translation guide
The color gray, and related expressions for dullness, ambiguity, or aging.
Describing something that is gray in color.
The most common and neutral word for the color gray.
空が灰色になった。
The sky turned gray.
彼は灰色のスーツを着ている。
He is wearing a gray suit.
Loanword from English, often used in fashion, design, or casual contexts.
このグレーのセーターが好きです。
I like this gray sweater.
Literally 'mouse color', a traditional Japanese term for gray. Less common in modern speech.
着物は鼠色だった。
The kimono was gray.
Referring to hair that has turned gray or white with age.
The standard word for gray or white hair. Note that Japanese uses 'white hair' even when English says 'gray hair'.
最近白髪が増えた。
I've been getting more gray hair lately.
彼は白髪交じりの髪をしている。
He has hair streaked with gray.
To become gray-haired.
父は若い頃に白髪になった。
My father went gray when he was young.
Describing weather, mood, or atmosphere that is gray and depressing.
An adverb or する-verb describing a dull, overcast sky or gloomy atmosphere.
今日はどんよりした天気だ。
The weather is gray and gloomy today.
Literally 'cloudy', often used for gray skies.
曇った空が続いている。
The gray skies continue.
Describing a situation that is not clearly defined, morally or legally ambiguous.
Loanword from English 'gray zone', commonly used in legal, ethical, or regulatory contexts.
その行為はグレーゾーンだ。
That action falls into a gray area.
Means 'ambiguous' or 'vague', can be used for gray areas.
規則が曖昧で、グレーな部分が多い。
The rules are vague and there are many gray areas.
English speakers often mistakenly say 灰色の髪 (はいいろのかみ) for gray hair, but the natural expression is 白髪 (しらが), literally 'white hair'. Using 灰色 for hair sounds unnatural.
灰色 (はいいろ) is the native Japanese word and is used in all contexts. グレー is a loanword often used in fashion, design, or when referring to ambiguous situations (グレーゾーン). Both are common, but 灰色 is more neutral.