fbpx
Japanese Vocabulary, Vocabulary, vocabulary-lessons

0 Comments

June 27, 2024

Basic Colors in Japanese for Beginners

Get our Newsletter + Free Kanji eBook

色々(いろいろ)な色(いろ)

Various Colors in Japanese

Click here to download a free printable word search for the vocabulary found in this lesson

The Japanese word for “color” is 色 iro. The pun at the top of the page sounds like it repeats "iro" several times, but it means "various colors." 

First, try this matching game to see if you can recognize the colors. Then use the information below to learn the ones you don't yet know!

Grammatically, colors are used in two ways: as nouns and as adjectives.

The actual color names as nouns are listed in the colored area. The examples below show how to use the colors as nouns and how to make them into adjectives. When used as an adjective, most color names add a い.

Mouse over or tap (if on mobile) any kanji to see the reading.

黄色(きいろ)

yellow

黄色きいろはきれい。  

Yellow is pretty. (This is a noun)

黄色(きいろ)い鳥(とり)はきれいです。

The yellow bird is pretty. (This is an adjective and adds the い)

VOCABULARY

  • 黄色(きいろ) yellow
  • は topic marker
  • きれい beautiful; pretty
  • 黄色(きいろ)い鳥(とり) yellow bird [黄色(きいろ)い (yellow) + 鳥(とり) (bird)]
  • です is (polite)

青(あお)

blue

空(そら)は青(あお)いです。

The sky is blue.

あの青(あお)い池(いけ)はきれいです。

That blue pond is pretty.

VOCABULARY

  • 空(そら) sky
  • 青(あお)い blue
  • です is (polite)
  • あの that (over there)
  • 池(いけ) pond
  • きれい beautiful; pretty

赤(あか)

red

この花はなは赤あかいです。 

This flower is red.

これは赤(あか)い花(はなです。

This is a red flower.

VOCABULARY

  • この this
  • 花(はな) flower
  • 赤(あか)い red
  • です is (polite)
  • これ this (thing)
  • は topic marker

白(しろ)

white

雪(ゆき)は白(しろ)い。

Snow is white.

外国人(がいこくじん)は白(しろ)いごはんをあまりたべない。

Foreigners don’t usually eat plain, white rice (with no butter or salt…).

VOCABULARY

  • 雪(ゆき) snow
  • 白(しろ)い white
  • 外国人(がいこくじん) foreigner
  • ごはん rice
  • を direct object marker
  • あまり not very; not much
  • たべない do not eat [negative form of たべる (to eat)]

黒(くろ)

black

黒(くろ)い服(ふく)は好(す)きじゃない。

I don’t like black clothes.

VOCABULARY

  • 黒(くろ)い服(ふく) black clothes [黒(くろ)い (black) + 服(ふく) (clothes)]
  • は topic marker
  • 好(す)きじゃない do not like [好(す)き (like) + じゃない (negative form)]

灰色(はいいろ)

gray

<to make this into an adjective that connects to another word, add の>

灰色(はいいろ)のくつしたがほしい。

I want grey socks.

VOCABULARY

  • 灰色(はいいろ)のくつした gray socks [灰色(はいいろ) (gray) + の (possessive or descriptive particle) + くつした (socks)]
  • が subject marker
  • ほしい want

紫(むらさき)

purple

紫(むらさき)の花(はな)が一番好(いちばんす)き。

I like purple flowers the best.

VOCABULARY

  • 紫(むらさき)の花(はな) purple flower [紫(むらさき) (purple) + の (possessive particle) + 花(はな) (flower)]
  • が subject marker
  • 一番(いちばん) most; best; number one
  • 好(す)き like

緑(みどり)

green

信号(しんごう)は緑(みどり)です。

The traffic light is green.

牛(うし)は緑(みどり)の草(くさ)を食(た)べている。

The cow is eating green grass.

VOCABULARY

  • 信号(しんごう) traffic light
  • 緑(みどり) green
  • です is (polite)
  • 牛(うし) cow
  • 緑(みどり)の草(くさ) green grass [緑(みどり) (green) + の (possessive particle) + 草(くさ) (grass)]
  • を direct object marker
  • 食(た)べている eating [食(た)べる (to eat) in the て-form + いる (to be; indicating an ongoing action)]

Go through the example sentences and then try arranging the words below in a correct order. Other sequences are possible, but the game is set to the order in the example sentences.

Sentence Scramble Game

Sentence Scramble Game

Drag and drop the words so they mean "" Be sure to drop ON words rather than between words:

Vocabulary Quiz

Take this quick quiz based on vocabulary found on this lesson page.

    Match the Meaning

    Flip two cards to match the Japanese with the English.

    Flashcard Match-Up

    Additional common colors:

    • 茶色(ちゃいろ) brown
    • ピンク pink
    • オレンジ orange
    • 水色(みずいろ) light blue
    • 紺色(こんいろ) navy blue
    • 金色(きんいろ) gold
    • 銀色(ぎんいろ) silver

    OTHER NOTES:

    • In Japanese, the word for “Black & White” is actually “White & Black” – 白黒(しろくろ) 
    • In Japan, traffic light signals are said to be RED 赤(あか) , BLUE 青(あお) (not green), and YELLOW 黄(き)
    • Most Japanese children draw the sun not yellow but RED 赤(あか) 
    • Color words often find themselves in people's names: 青木(あおき)
    • Polar Bears are White bears in Japanese 白熊(しろくま)

    Related Product at TheJapanShop.com

    #1

    Beri- Beri- Shoshinsha for Absolute Beginners of Japanese [Digital Download]

    Are you struggling with hiragana? Know all the kana but need to improve your reading comprehension? Our Beri- Beri- Shoshinsha beginner's bundle of digital books and resources will not only help you with those but also Japanese grammar, vocabulary, kanji, and listening comprehension.

    5 of 5 stars

    Learn More

    Sharing is caring!

    Share 0
    Tweet 0
    Share 0
    Share 0
    Pin 0
    {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

    Level up your Japanese!

    free-kanji-or-hiragana-offer-final

    For Total Beginners

    Japanese for beginners - Beri-Beri Shoshinsha

    This 15-book study guide + worksheets bundle is ON SALE. For just one-time payment only, you will get this bundle for a very low price plus you will get future contents for free (no additional charge).

    Click Here Now

    Easy to follow and understand

    This bundle is perfect for absolute beginners. It's thorough without being wordy, giving you exactly enough information to understand the concepts without overloading you with information. 

    TheJapanShop.com Customer

    Makoto+ Membership

    You'll notice many TheJapanesePage.com lessons have bonus content for Makoto+ Members. Well, membership goes well beyond that. Members also get our monthly magazine for learners of Japanese (Beginners to Intermediates), weekly exclusive lessons, Podcast bonus content, and much more.

    Click Here to Learn More
    >