How to say 'Color' or 'Appearance' in Japanese | 色

Wondering how to say 'Color' or 'Appearance' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Color or Appearance is 'Iro', written as 色 in Japanese.'Color' or 'Appearance' in hiragana is いろ.

word

色

Meaning

Color, Appearance

Reading

いろ

iro

Kanji

色Color

Explanation

The Japanese noun '色 (いろ)' primarily means 'color'. It refers to the hue or shade of an object, such as red, blue, or green. For example: the color of the sky is blue「空の色は青い」(そらのいろはあおい). Additionally, '色 (いろ)' can also mean 'appearance' or 'look', often used to describe the outward expression or mood of a situation or person. For example: her face showed a troubled look「彼女の顔に困った色が見えた」(かのじょのかおにこまったいろがみえた). This dual meaning makes '色 (いろ)' a versatile word in Japanese, used in both literal and figurative contexts.

Part Of Speech

noun

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

462

Composition

kanji

Handwriting

Kanji in the Word 色

This word contains 1 kanji character:

kanji

色

Meaning

Color

Words Related to 色 Through the Kanji 色

These 16 Words contain the Kanji 色 as well.

word

茶色

Meaning

Brown

word

色々

Meaning

Various

word

緑色

Meaning

Green

word

色んな

Meaning

Various

word

金色

Meaning

Gold

word

黄色

Meaning

Yellow

word

顔色

Meaning

Mood, Complexion

word

黄色い

Meaning

Yellow

word

景色

Meaning

Scenery

word

無色

Meaning

Colorless

word

ばら色

Meaning

Pink, Rose

word

水色

Meaning

Lightblue

word

特色

Meaning

Feature, Characteristic

word

灰色

Meaning

Gray

word

色彩

Meaning

Color

word

肌色

Meaning

Skin color

Learn the Word 色

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What does 'Iro' (色) mean?

'Iro' means 'Color' or 'Appearance' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.