Japanese Color Names
Japanese color names live in three layers — modern vocabulary (赤, 青), modern loanwords (レッド, ブルー), and traditional named pigments (朱, 藍色, 山吹色). This guide indexes all three.
Reading a Japanese color name
Most traditional names follow one of three patterns: a single kanji (紅, 朱, 紫), a plant or material name + 色 (桜色, 抹茶色, 藍色), or a poetic compound (朽葉色, 鴇色, 鈍色).
Romanization typically follows the Hepburn system. Some old compilations use the older Nihon-shiki spelling (e.g. "wo" instead of "o").
Vocabulary vs traditional names
Vocabulary names (赤 aka, 青 ao, 緑 midori) are everyday words anyone uses.
Traditional names (紅 beni, 藍色 ai-iro, 朱 shu) are specific pigments tied to material origin.
Loanwords (ピンク pinku, ブルー burū) are modern and dominant in fashion and product naming.
Use the right layer for the right job: vocabulary for translation, traditional for design and culture, loanwords for product copy.
Family overview
Reds: 紅 (beni), 朱 (shu), 茜色 (akane-iro), 朱砂 (shu-sha), 臙脂 (enji), 柿色 (kaki-iro), 紅梅 (kōbai).
Blues: 藍色 (ai-iro), 浅葱色 (asagi-iro), 縹色 (hanada-iro), 紺色 (kon-iro), 水色 (mizu-iro), 群青 (gunjō).
Greens: 抹茶色 (matcha-iro), 萌黄色 (moegi-iro), 鶯色 (uguisu-iro), 松葉色 (matsuba-iro), 常磐色 (tokiwa-iro).
Yellows: 山吹色 (yamabuki-iro), 黄檗色 (kihada-iro), 芥子色 (karashi-iro), 玉子色 (tamago-iro), 鶸色 (hiwa-iro).
Purples: 紫 (murasaki), 藤色 (fuji-iro), 葡萄染 (ebizome), 桔梗色 (kikyō-iro).
Pinks: 桜色 (sakura-iro), 撫子色 (nadeshiko-iro), 鴇色 (toki-iro), 紅梅色 (kōbai-iro).
Browns: 茶色 (cha-iro), 焦茶 (kogecha), 朽葉色 (kuchiba-iro), 土色 (tsuchi-iro).
Blacks: 墨色 (sumi-iro), 漆黒 (shikkoku).
Whites: 白練 (shironeri), 胡粉色 (gofun-iro), 生成 (kinari), 雪色 (yuki-iro).
Grays: 鈍色 (nibi-iro), 鼠色 (nezumi-iro), 銀鼠 (gin-nezu).
What is the Japanese word for color name?
色名 (shikimei or iro-na) means "color name". It is used in compilations and academic references.
How many Japanese color names exist?
Modern compilations list anywhere from 250 to 519. The atlas curates a smaller source-aware set and grows it deliberately.
What is the difference between iro and shoku?
Both are readings of 色. 色 (iro) is the everyday noun; 色 (shoku) is used in compounds like 色彩 (shikisai / coloration) and 三色 (sanshoku / tricolor).
Traditional color values vary by source, textile, pigment, era, and screen display. See the methodology for source-status tiers.