Japanese Colors Words + Uncommon Colors You Didn’t Know

Since you’re here…

Let’s learn some Japanese color vocabulary.

Let’s start with the most basic and commonly used colors like red, blue, yellow, and so on.

By the way…

Blue and green have been considered the same in Japan. To the point where green traffic lights are still called “ao shingo / blue lights.”

You can learn more at my other post

• Blue & Green Colors Same in Japanese? It Depends.

Now, basic Japanese colors aside…

There are also unique colors within the Japanese language as well.

Unique Japanese Colors

1. 中紅 – Purplish Medium Crimson

• 中紅
• なかべに
• Nakabeni

2. 青竹色 – Bamboo blue

• 青竹色
• あおたけいろ
• Aotake-iro

3. 今様色 – Purplish Vibrant Pink

• 今様色
• いまよういろ
• Imayo-iro

4. 唐紅 – Crimson

• 唐紅
• からくれない
• Karakurenai

5. 京緋色 – Kyoto scarlet

• 京緋色
• きょうひーろ
• Kyo-hiiro

6. 朱 – Vermillion

• 朱
• しゅ
• Shu

7. 甚三紅 – Light Pink

• 甚三紅
• じんざもみ
• Jinzamomi

8. 深緋色 – Deep scarlet

• 深緋色
• こきひいろ
• Kokihi-iro

9. 縹色 – Clear pale blue

• 縹色
• はなだいろ
• Hanada-iro

10. 藍白 – Indigo white

• 藍白
• あいじろ
• Aijiro

11. 薄紅 – Pale rouge

• 薄紅
• うすべに
• Usubeni

12. 常磐色 – Deep green

• 常磐色
• ときわいろ
• Tokiwa-iro

13. 丁子茶 – Light beige with a hint of red

• 丁子茶
• ちょうじちゃ
• Cho-ji-cha

14. 躑躅色 – Rhododendron Pink

• 躑躅色
• つつじいろ
• Tsutsuji-iro

15. 藤紫 – Wisteria purple or Royal Blue

• 藤紫
• ふじむらさき
• Fuji-murasaki

16. 真朱色 – Dusty Red

• 真朱色
• まそひいろ
• Masoho-iro

17. 梅紫 – Plum purple

• 梅紫
• いめむらさき
• Ume-murasaki

18. 淡萌黄 – Pale young greenish yellow

• 淡萌黄
• うすもえぎ
• Usumoegi

19. 赤錆色 – Red rust color

• 赤錆色
• あかさびいろ
• Akasabi-iro

20. 浅葱色 – Pale Blue Green

(Deeper than water but lighter than flower)

• 浅葱色
• あさぎいろ
• Asagi-iro

21. 月白 – Moon White

• 月白
• げっぱく
• Geppaku

22. 猩々緋 – Red Orange

• 猩々緋
• しょうじょうひ
• Shojohi

23. 七両染 – Dyeing red with safflowers

• 七両染
• しちりょうそめ
• Shichi-ryo-some

24. 一斤染 – Pale Pink

• 一斤染
• いっこんぞめ
• Ikkon-zome

25. 麹塵色 – Darker shade of green

• 麹塵色
• きくじんいる
• kikujin-iro

26. 黄朽葉色 – Reddish Yellow (Color of a dead & fallen leaf)

• 黄朽葉色
• きくちばいろ
• kikuchiba-iro

27. 紫苑色 – Pale Purple

• 紫苑色
• しおんいろ
• Shion-iro

Back to You

Note, this isn’t the complete extensive list. Wikipedia has ’em all. But based on the amount of pinks and purples you see here, you can see just how subtle the Japanese colors are.

What’s your favorite one?

Am I missing any more?

Be sure to let me know and leave a comment!

– The Main Junkie