こんにちは (Konnichiwa)!

Happy Sunday Japanophiles, Herewith the 27th issue of the Hai Japan Newsletter — your Weekly Dose of Japan!

Today, we’re going to talk about colors!

Colors in Japanese

Tanaka-san, a young artist from Tokyo, loved painting.

Every day, she would sit by the window, brush in hand, and stare at the world outside, waiting for inspiration.

One morning, after a light rain, the sun broke through the clouds, and a beautiful rainbow appeared.

Tanaka-san gasped, "すごい! (Sugoi!) Look at those colors!" She quickly grabbed her palette and began mixing paints.

First, she reached for 赤 (aka)—red.

The color of passion, energy, and the apple she had for breakfast. She remembered how her friend said, “赤いバラが好きです (Akai bara ga suki desu)”—“I like red roses.” She painted a rose, its petals glowing with the warmth of the morning sun.

Next, she mixed 青 (ao)—blue.

The calming color of the sky and the ocean she longed to visit. “青い空は気持ちいいです (Aoi sora wa kimochi ii desu),” she thought, meaning “The blue sky feels nice.”

She added a serene blue background to her painting, capturing the endless sky above.

Then came 黄色 (kiiro)—yellow.

Bright and cheerful, like the sunflowers in her garden.

“黄色い花が咲いています (Kiiroi hana ga saiteimasu),” she mused, translating to “Yellow flowers are blooming.” She added these flowers to the foreground, their golden petals swaying gently in the breeze.

As she continued, she reached for 緑 (midori)—green, the color of life and renewal.

“森の中は緑がいっぱいです (Mori no naka wa midori ga ippai desu)”—“The forest is full of green,” she remembered, as she painted lush green trees surrounding the flowers.

For the distant mountains, she chose 紫 (murasaki)—purple, a color that evoked mystery and royalty.

“紫の山が見えます (Murasaki no yama ga miemasu),” she said to herself, meaning “I can see purple mountains.” The mountains stood tall and majestic in her painting, shrouded in a faint purple mist.

Finally, she added 白 (shiro)—white, for the clouds that drifted lazily across the sky.

White, pure and simple, yet full of possibilities. “白い雲が浮かんでいます (Shiroi kumo ga ukandeimasu),” she whispered, translating to “White clouds are floating.”

The clouds added a sense of peace and completion to her work.

By the time the rainbow faded, Tanaka-san’s painting was complete—a vibrant masterpiece filled with the colors of life.

Understanding Colors in Japanese

Just like in Tanaka-san’s story, colors in Japanese can bring your descriptions to life. Here are the basic colors we explored:

• 赤 (aka) - Red

• 青 (ao) - Blue

• 黄色 (kiiro) - Yellow

• 緑 (midori) - Green

• 紫 (murasaki) - Purple

• 白 (shiro) - White

Each color can be used in a variety of contexts, just like in English. For example:

• 赤い車 (akai kuruma) - Red car

• 青い海 (aoi umi) - Blue Ocean

• 黄色い鳥 (kiiroi tori) - Yellow bird

When describing things in Japanese, notice how the color comes before the noun, just like in English. You can also use colors to express emotions or describe the atmosphere, much like Tanaka-san did with her painting.

More Basic Colors in Japanese:

• 黒 (kuro) - Black

• 茶色 (chairo) - Brown

• オレンジ (orenji) - Orange

• ピンク (pinku) - Pink

• 灰色 (haiiro) - Gray

• 金色 (kin'iro) - Gold

• 銀色 (gin'iro) - Silver

Let's Revisit Tanaka-san’s Palette with These Colors:

After completing her vibrant painting, Tanaka-san noticed that something was missing. She decided to add a few more details to bring her artwork to life.

She reached for 黒 (kuro)—black, the color of shadows and night.

“黒い猫が窓の外にいます (Kuroi neko ga mado no soto ni imasu),” she thought, meaning “There’s a black cat outside the window.” She painted a sleek black cat lurking in the shadows of the trees.

Then, she added 茶色 (chairo)—brown, the earthy color of the tree trunks and soil.

“茶色い木が並んでいます (Chairoi ki ga narandeimasu)”—“Brown trees are lined up.” The trees now had a strong presence, their trunks solid and reliable.

For the final touch, Tanaka-san added a splash of オレンジ (orenji)—orange, to the sunset that was beginning to dip below the horizon.

“オレンジ色の夕日が美しい (Orenji iro no yūhi ga utsukushii)”—“The orange sunset is beautiful.” The sky glowed warmly as day turned to night.

To add a pop of brightness, she painted some flowers in ピンク (pinku)—pink, soft and delicate.

“ピンクの花が咲いています (Pinku no hana ga saiteimasu)”—“Pink flowers are blooming.” These flowers added a touch of sweetness to the scene.

To capture the mysterious fog rolling in, she used 灰色 (haiiro)—gray, which gave the painting an ethereal quality.

“灰色の霧が山を覆っています (Haiiro no kiri ga yama o ōtteimasu)”—“Gray mist is covering the mountains.”

Finally, she added a touch of 金色 (kin'iro)—gold, to the sun’s last rays and 銀色 (gin'iro)—silver, to the glistening water below.

“金色の光と銀色の水 (Kin'iro no hikari to gin'iro no mizu)”—“Golden light and silver water.” The painting now sparkled with a magical glow, as if it were alive.

Complete Your Masterpiece

Now that you have all the colors in your palette, try incorporating them into your daily Japanese practice.

For example:

• 黒いペン (kuroi pen) - Black pen

• 茶色い靴 (chairoi kutsu) - Brown shoes

• オレンジ色のシャツ (orenji iro no shatsu) - Orange shirt

• ピンクのバラ (pinku no bara) - Pink rose

• 灰色の雲 (haiiro no kumo) - Gray clouds

• 金色のネックレス (kin'iro no nekkuresu) - Gold necklace

• 銀色の車 (gin'iro no kuruma) - Silver car

These colors will not only help you describe the world around you but also give your Japanese a richer, more expressive vocabulary.

Happy painting—both on canvas and with your words!

Practice Makes Perfect

Try using these colors in your daily conversations or writing.

Describe your surroundings, your favorite objects, or even your feelings. For example:

• 今、空は青いです (Ima, sora wa aoi desu) - The sky is blue right now.

• 私は赤いセーターが好きです (Watashi wa akai sētā ga suki desu) - I like red sweaters.

Feel free to paint your own pictures with words, just like Tanaka-san!

That’s all folks!

Let me know if you enjoyed this simple vocabulary run-through :)

Have a great Sunday!

じゃあ、またね! (Jā, mata ne!)