色

Derived characters

 * Appendix:Chinese radical/色

Glyph origin
– complexion.

 interprets this character as an – complexion.

Compare,.

Etymology
Possibly from, whence ,.

Alternatively, connects this word to, which would point to a form *sər-k from which the Old Chinese was derived.

may be a dialectal variant.

Definitions

 * 1) color; tint; hue; shade
 * 2)  look; expression
 * 3)  scenery; circumstance
 * 4) kind; sort
 * 5) feminine charm; beauty
 * 6) lust; sexual desire
 * 7)  perverted; being a pervert; lecherous
 * 8) theatrical role
 * 9) metallic content
 * 10) die
 * 11)   form; material element; form of existence; etc.
 * 12)   cypro
 * 1) feminine charm; beauty
 * 2) lust; sexual desire
 * 3)  perverted; being a pervert; lecherous
 * 4) theatrical role
 * 5) metallic content
 * 6) die
 * 7)   form; material element; form of existence; etc.
 * 8)   cypro
 * 1) metallic content
 * 2) die
 * 3)   form; material element; form of existence; etc.
 * 4)   cypro
 * 1)   form; material element; form of existence; etc.
 * 2)   cypro
 * 1)   cypro
 * 1)   cypro

Synonyms




Etymology 1
→ * →

From.

First attested in the  with the meaning of. Senses referring to a person's emotions also appear quite early on. The or  senses appear from the 900s, apparently an influence from  usage, and roughly comparable to the euphemistic usage of.

Noun

 * 1)  color
 * 2)   the metaphorical color or mood
 * 3) one's facial coloring or expression
 * 4) the shape of one's face or appearance; more specifically, beautiful looks or a beautiful figure
 * 5) lively elegance, enjoyable or interesting charm
 * 6) apparent thoughtfulness, warmheartedness
 * 7) the feeling or mood of a thing
 * 8) the tenor or timber of a voice or sound
 * 9) in Noh, a section that is chanted at a medium pace; alternately, a decorative poetic section
 * 10) in, a lively section that is neither strictly dialog nor narration, but has many elements of dialog
 * 11) when playing the koto, pushing on a string with the fingers of the left hand to change the pitch of a note, or for vibrato
 * 12)  something related to romantic or sexual love, particularly between genders
 * 13) the emotions or circumstances of attraction between genders
 * 14) extramarital relations, an affair
 * 15) an extramarital lover
 * 16) a prostitute
 * 17) a red-light district
 * 18)  the type or kind of something
 * 19)  various specific kinds of color:
 * 20)  lipstick or rouge
 * 21)  soy sauce
 * 22)  paint
 * 1)  paint

Adjective

 * 1)   of exceptional beauty of form or appearance
 * 2) * Utsubo Monogatari, late 10th c.:
 * 3)   knowledgeable about lovemaking, sensual; lascivious, lecherous
 * 4) * Ochikubo Monogatari, late 10th c.:
 * 5)   elegant, tasteful, refined
 * 6) * The Tale of Genji, early 11th c.:
 * 1)   elegant, tasteful, refined
 * 2) * The Tale of Genji, early 11th c.:

Affix

 * 1) relating to a love affair or the red light district
 * 2) of that tone or timber or mood
 * 3) relating to type or kind

Usage notes
Only found in compounds.

Etymology 2
→ * → →

Nominalization of the of classical  verb.

Not used in modern Japanese.

Noun

 * 1)  coloring, design

Etymology 3
From. The  reading, so likely the initial borrowing.

The Buddhist sense is translation of.

Noun

 * 1)  material form, specifically the organized body as one of the five constituent elements or skandhas
 * 2) * 7th century,  (translation by )
 * 3) that which is visible of a thing, specifically form and color
 * 4) color
 * 1) color

Usage notes
Used extensively in compounds.

Etymology 4
From. The  reading, so likely a later borrowing.

Affix

 * 1) color (US), colour (everywhere else)

Usage notes
Used in compounds.

Counter

 * 1) used to count the number of colors

Etymology
From.