noun
The basic concrete meaning: a visual color, hue, tint, or shade of something.
壁の色を明るい青に変えた。
I changed the wall color to a bright blue.
夕焼けで空の色が少しずつ変わった。
The color of the sky gradually changed in the sunset.
noun
Used for the color or look of skin, especially in expressions about the face or someone's health.
日に焼けて肌の色が変わった。
My skin color changed after getting sunburned.
疲れているのか、彼女は顔色が悪い。
Perhaps because she is tired, her complexion looks bad.
noun
look; expression; air; feeling
An abstract visible sign, mood, or air that appears on a face, in a place, or in a situation, often in the pattern Xの色.
彼の顔に驚きの色が浮かんだ。
A look of surprise appeared on his face.
会議室には緊張の色が漂っていた。
There was an air of tension in the meeting room.
noun
character; personality; individual style
Refers to a person's or group's distinctive character, personal stamp, or style as it appears in work or behavior.
この絵には作者の色がよく出ている。
The artist's individual style comes through clearly in this painting.
新しい監督の色がチームに出てきた。
The new coach's character has begun to show in the team.
noun
A sound's quality or tone color, most commonly encountered in compounds such as 音色 rather than as a free everyday noun.
このチェロは深い音色がする。
This cello has a deep tone.
noun
romance; lust; sensuality; love affair
The erotic or romantic sense of 色, often in compounds and fixed expressions such as 色恋 and 色仕掛け; standalone use can sound old-fashioned or stylized.
See also: 色仕掛け
彼は色恋の話をほとんどしない。
He almost never talks about romance.
色仕掛けで相手をだまそうとした。
They tried to deceive the other person with a seductive ploy.
noun
Rare and old-fashioned use for a lover or paramour; modern Japanese normally uses words such as 恋人, 愛人, or 情人 depending on the relationship.
古い小説では、「色」が情人の意味で使われることがある。
In old novels, 色 is sometimes used to mean a lover or paramour.
noun
beauty; sexiness; physical appeal
Sensual or physical allure, especially in literary or compound-like expressions such as 色香; it overlaps with but is not identical to 色気.
彼女のしぐさには独特の色香がある。
Her gestures have a distinctive sensual charm.
noun
A type or variety, now limited in feel and often seen in fixed expressions such as 十人十色 or in counting varieties. 種 as another spelling for this sense.
反応は十人十色で、一つにまとめられなかった。
The reactions varied from person to person and could not be summed up in one way.