Orange in Japanese

Orange in Japanese is 橙色 (daidai-iro), named after the daidai bitter orange fruit, or オレンジ (orenji) as a loanword. Traditional shades include 柿色 (kaki-iro / persimmon) and 朱 (shu / vermilion-leaning red-orange).

Native

橙色

だいだいいろ

daidai-iro

Loanword

オレンジ

orenji

Modern katakana loanword from English. Used in product naming, fashion, and casual conversation.

01Vocabulary scope

What “orange” covers in Japanese.

橙色 (daidai-iro) — named after the daidai bitter orange.
オレンジ (orenji) — modern katakana loanword.
柿色 (kaki-iro) — persimmon orange.
朱 (shu) — vermilion, often perceived as orange-red.

02Grammar

How to use it in a sentence.

橙色 is a noun; use 橙色の to modify a noun.
There is no common native i-adjective for orange — use の-modification.

03Cultural context

What the color carries beyond the swatch.

Daidai 橙 is the New Year ornament fruit placed atop kagamimochi.
Kaki-iro 柿色 is the late-autumn color of ripening persimmon and is used in samue work clothes.
Shu 朱 is the orange-red of shrine gates and senior temple roofs.

04Traditional oranges in the atlas

Specific named traditional colors — not a single hex.

#E0843B

橙色だいだいいろ · Daidai-iroBitter orange

#D2693A

柿色かきいろ · Kaki-iroPersimmon

#C8434A

朱色しゅいろ · Shu-iroVermilion

#D8A431

山吹色やまぶきいろ · Yamabuki-iroGolden yellow

05FAQ

How do you say orange in Japanese?

橙色 (daidai-iro) for the native compound, オレンジ (orenji) for the loanword.

Is shu (朱) red or orange?

朱 is classically a vermilion red, but perceptually leans orange-red. The atlas catalogues it under reds.

Traditional color values vary by source, textile, pigment, era, and screen display. HEX values are digital approximations; see the methodology for source-status tiers.