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Language-related proverbs
The eleven colour words on this page have been indentified in various studies as the most common across most languages, although the actual colours represented by each of the colour words are not nescessarily exactly the same. For example, in Greek and Russian there are two words for blue corresponding to light blue and dark blue, and these colours are considered and perceived as separate. In other languages there are overlaps between blue, green and grey, or red, orange and brown.
The first six colours are most common, and the second seven are not quite as common across languages.
Key to abbreviations: drk = dark, lt = light, lv = living things, mm = man-made things, m = masculine, f = feminine, n = neuter, c = common gender, pl = plural
You can find more colour words and notes on colours in individual languages by clicking on the language names.
| Afrikaans | swart | blank wit |
rooi | geel | blou | groen |
| Arabic | أسود (aswad) |
أبيض (abyadh) |
أحمر (ahhmar) |
أصفر (assfar) |
أزرق (azraq) |
أخضر (akh-dhar) |
| Asturian | prietu | blancu | bermeyu | mariellu | azul | verde |
| Basque | beltz | zuri | gorri | hori beilegi |
urdin | berde |
| Bengali | কালো (kālo) | সাদা (sādā) | রাঙা (rāṅā) | হলুদ (haluda) | নীল (nīla) | সবুজ (sabuja) |
| Bulgarian | черен (cheren) |
бял (bjal) |
червен (cherven) |
жълт (zhălt) |
син (sin) |
зелен (zelen) |
| Catalan | negre | blanc | vermell roig |
groc | blau | verd |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | 黑(色) (hāk [sīk]) |
白(色) (baahk [sīk]) |
紅(色) (hùhng [sīk]) |
黄(色) (wòhng [sīk]) |
藍(色) (làahm [sīk]) |
綠(色) (luhk [sīk]) |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 黑色 (hēisè) |
白色 (báisè) |
紅色 [红] (hóngsè) |
黄色 (huángsè) |
藍色 [蓝] (lánsè) 青 (qīng) |
綠色 [绿] (lǜ sè) 青 (qīng) |
| Croatian | crna | bijela | crvena | žuta | plava | zelena |
| Czech | černá | bílá | červená rudá |
žlutá | modrá | zelená |
| Danish | sort | hvid | rød | gul | blå | grøn |
| Dutch | zwart | wit | rood | geel | blauw | groen |
| English | black | white | red | yellow | blue | green |
| Estonian | must | valge | punane | kollane | sinine | roheline |
| Filipino | itim | puti | púla | dilaw | asul bughaw |
berde lunti luntian |
| Finnish | musta | valkoinen | punainen | keltainen | sininen | vihreä |
| French | noir | blanc | rouge | jaune | bleu | vert |
| Galician | negro | branco | vermella | amarela | azul | verde |
| German | schwarz | weiß | rot | gelb | blau | grün |
| Greek | μαύρο (mavro) |
άσπρο (aspro) |
κόκκινο (kokkino) |
κίτρινο (kitrino) |
μπλε (ble) lt γαλάζιο (galazio) drk |
πράσινο (prasino) |
| Gupapuyngu | gurrngan | gaywarangu | - | miku'mirri | milkuminymirri | |
| Guarani | hũ | morotĩ | pytã | sa'yju | hovy | morongy |
| Hawaiian | ‘ele’ele | ke’oke’o | ‘ula’ula wena |
melemele | uliuli | ‘ooma’oma’o |
| Hebrew | שחור (shakhor) |
לבן (lavan) |
אדום (adom) |
צהוב (tsahov) |
כחול drk (kakhol) תכול / תכלת lt (takhol / tekhelet) |
ירוק (yarok) |
| Hindi | काला (Kālā) |
सफेद (Saphed) |
लाल (Lāl) |
पीला (Pīlā) |
नीला (Nīlā) |
हरा (Harā) |
| Hungarian | fekete | fehér | piros vörös |
sárga | kék | zöld |
| Icelandic | svartur | hvítur | rauður | gulur | blár | grænn |
| Indonesian | hitam | putih | merah | kuning | biru | hijau |
| Irish (Gaelic) | dubh | bán | dearg | buí | gorm | glas (lv) uaine (mm) |
| Italian | nero | bianco | rosso | giallo | azzurro blu |
verde |
| Japanese | 黒色 (kuroiro) |
白色 (shiroiro) |
赤色 (akairo) |
黄色 (kiiro) |
青色 (aoiro) |
緑色 (midoriiro) |
| Korean | 검정 | 하양 | 빨강 | 노랑 | 파랑 | 녹색 |
| Lakota | sápa | ská | šá | zí | tɦó tɦósaŋ (lt) tɦósapa (dk) |
tɦózi tɦó (dk) |
| Latvian | melns | balts | sarkans | dzeltens | zils | zaļš |
| Lithuanian | juoda | balta | raudona | geltona | mėlyna | žalia |
| Lojban | xekri | blabi | xunre | pelxu | blanu | crino |
| Macedonian | црн (m) црна (f) црно (n) црни (pl) |
бел (m) бела (f) бело (n) бели (pl) |
црвен (m) црвена (f) црвено (n) црвени (pl) |
жолт (m) жолта (f) жолто (n) жолти (pl) |
син (m) сина (f) сино (n) синиv (pl) |
зелен (m) зелена (f) зелено (n) зелени (pl) |
| Maltese | iswed sewda swed |
abjad bajda bojod |
ahmar hamra homor |
isfar safra sofor |
blu ikhal kahla kohol |
aħdar ħadra ħodor |
| Manx | doo | bane gial |
jiarg ruy |
buigh bwee |
gorrym | eayney geayney |
| Norwegian | svart | hvit | rød | gul | blå | grønn |
| Occitan | negre negra |
blanc/a | roge roja |
jaune | blau blava blu |
verd/a |
| O'odham | s-cuk | s-toha s-tohă |
s-wegi s-wegĭ |
s-oam | s-añi:lmagi s-ce:dagi |
s-ce:dagi s-cu:dagĭ |
| Polish | czarny | biały | czerwony | żółty | niebieski | zielony |
| Portuguese | preto negro |
branco | encarnado vermelho |
amarelo | azul | verde |
| Romanian | negru | alb | rosu | galben | albastru | verde |
| Russian | чёрный (černiuj) |
белый (beliuj) |
красный (krasniuj) рыжий (riužij) |
жёлтый (želtiuj) |
синий (sinij) drk голубой (goluboj) lt |
зеленый (zeleniuj) |
| Scottish Gaelic |
dubh | geal | dearg ruadh |
buidhe | gorm | uaine |
| Serbian | црна (crna) |
бела (bela) |
црвена (crvena) |
жута (žuta) |
плава (plava) |
зелена (zelena) |
| Slovak | čierna | biela | červená | žltá | modrá | zelená |
| Slovenian | črna | bela | rdeča | rumena | modra | zelena |
| Spanish | negro | blanco | rojo | amarillo | azul | verde |
| Sranan | blaka | weit | redi | geri | blaw | grun |
| Swedish | svart (c) svart (n) svarta (pl) |
vit (c) vitt (n) vita (pl) |
röd (c) rött (n) röda (pl) |
gul (c) gult (n) gula (pl) |
blå (c) blått (n) blåa (pl) |
gröng (c) grönt (n) gröna (pl) |
| Turkish | siyah | beyaz | kırmızı | sarı | mavi | yeşil |
| Tuvaluan | uli | kèna | kùla | sèga | pulú | lanu launiu kulini |
| Vietnamese | đen | trắng | đỏ | vàng | xanh | |
| Welsh | du | gwyn | coch | melyn | glas | gwyrdd glas |
| Xhosa | mnyama | mhlophe | bomvu | lebhelu mthubi |
luhlaza | luhlaza |
| Yiddish | שוואַרץ (shvarts) |
ווײַס (vays) |
רויט (royt) |
געל (gel) |
בלאָ (blo) |
גרין (grin) |
| Yucatec Maya | 'ik | saak | chak | k'an | yax | |
| Afrikaans | bruin donker |
pienk ligrooi |
oranje | grys vergrys |
purper |
| Arabic | بنّي (onniy) |
وردي - زهريّ (wardiy / zahriy) |
برتقالي (burtuqaaliy) |
رمادي (ramaadiy) |
بنفسجيّ (banafsajiy) |
| Asturian | marrón | rosa | naranxa | buxu | purple |
| Basque | marroi | arrosa | laranja | grisa | ubel more gorrindol purpura |
| Bengali | কপিল (kapila) | পাটল (pāṭala) | নারঙ্গ (nāraṅga) | ধূসর (dhūsara) | বেগুন (bēguna) |
| Bulgarian | кафяв (kafjav) |
розов (rozov) |
оранжев (oranzhev) |
сив (siv) |
лилав (lilav) виолетов (violetov) |
| Catalan | marró bru |
rosa | taronja | gris | porpra púrpura violat morat |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | 咖啡色 (gafēsīk) |
粉紅色 (fánhùhng sīk) |
橙色 (cháangsīk) |
粉色 (fūisīk) |
紫色 (jísīk) |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 棕色 (zōngsè) 褐色 (hèsè) 咖啡色 (kāfēisè) |
粉紅色 (fěnhóngsè) 粉色 (fěnsè) |
橙色 (chéngsè) 橘红色 (júhóngsè) |
灰色 (huīsè) |
紫色 (zǐsè) |
| Croatian | smeđa | ružičasta | narančasta | siva | ljubičasta |
| Czech | hnědá | růžová | oranžová | šedá šedivá |
fialová |
| Danish | brun | lyserød | orange | grå | lilla |
| Dutch | bruin | rose | oranje | gris | paars |
| English | brown | pink | orange | grey | purple |
| Estonian | pruun | roosa | oranž | hall | lilla |
| Filipino | tsokolate kayumanggi |
rosas | dalandan | abó ábuhin |
lilà ube |
| Finnish | ruskea | pinkki | oranssi | harmaa | purppura |
| French | marron brun |
rose | orange | gris | violet |
| Galician | marrón | rosa | laranja | grises | púrpura |
| German | braun | rosa | orange | gray | violett |
| Greek | καφέ (kafé) |
ροζ (roz) |
πορτοκαλί (portokalí) |
γκρι (gri) |
μοβ (mov) |
| Gupapuyngu | gurrngan | miku'mirri | - | - | - |
| Guarani | hũngy | pytãngy | - | atĩva | pytaũ |
| Hawaiian | palaunu | ‘aakala | ‘aalani | ‘aahinahina | poni |
| Hebrew | חום (khoom) |
ורוד (varod) |
כתום (katom) |
אפור (afor) |
סגול (sagol) |
| Hindi | भूरा (Bhūrā) |
गुलाबी (Gulābī) |
नारंगी (Nārangī) |
धूसर (Dhūsara) |
बैंगनी (Bainganī) |
| Hungarian | barna | rózsaszín | narancssárga narancs |
szürke | lila |
| Icelandic | brúna | bleikur | appelsínugulur | grár | fjólublár |
| Indonesian | coklat | merah muda | oranye | abu abu | ungu |
| Irish (Gaelic) | donn | bándearg | oráiste flannbhuí |
liath glas |
corcra |
| Italian | marrone | rosa | arancione | grigio | viola |
| Japanese | 茶色 (chairo) |
桃色 (momoiro) |
橙色 (daidaiiro) |
灰色 (haiiro) 鼡色 (dk) (nezumiiro) |
紫色 (murasakiiro) |
| Korean | 갈색 | 분홍색 | 오렌지색의 | 회색 | 보라색 |
| Lakota | ǧí | šásaŋ | zíša | ɦóta sáŋ (lt) |
tɦóša |
| Latvian | brūns | rozā | oranžs | pelēks | purpursarkana |
| Lithuanian | ruda | rožinė | oranžinė | pilka | violetinė |
| Lojban | bunre | narju | grusi | zirpu | |
| Macedonian | кафеав (m) кафеава (f) кафеаво (n) кафеави (pl) |
розев (m) розева (f) розево (n) розеви (pl) |
портокалов (m) портокалова (f) портокалово (n) портокалови (pl) |
сив (m) сива (f) сиво () сиви (pl) |
виолетов (m) виолетова (f) виолетово (n) виолетови (pl) |
| Maltese | kannella | roża | orinġ | griż | vjola |
| Manx | dhoan | bane-yiarg blaa ruishagh |
oranje | lheeah | gorrym jiarg |
| Norwegian | brun | rosa | oransje | grå | lilla |
| Occitan | brun/a | ròse ròsa |
irange | gris | violet/a |
| O'odham | s-kubjuwi | s-wegĭ | s-nalasmagĭ | s-ko:magi | s-u:dwismagi |
| Polish | brązowy | różowy | pomarańczowy | szary | purpurowy |
| Portuguese | castanho (br) marrom (pt) |
rosa | cor-de-laranja (pt) cor-de-abóbora (pt) laranja (br) |
cinzento cinza pardo gris |
violeta roxo púrpura |
| Romanian | maro | roz | portocaliu | gri | violet |
| Russian | коричневый (кoričneviuj) |
розовый (rozoviuj) |
оранжевый (oranževiuj) |
серый (seriuj) |
фиолетовый (fioletoviuj) drk сиреневый (sireneviuj) lt лиловый (liloviuj) |
| Scottish Gaelic |
donn | pinc | pinc | liath glas |
purpaidh |
| Serbian | браон (braon) |
роза (roza) |
наранджаста (narandžasta) |
сиво (sivo) |
љубичаста (ljubičasta) |
| Slovak | hnedá | ružová | oranžová | šedá | fialová |
| Slovenian | rjava | roza | oranžna | siva | vijolična |
| Spanish | marrón | rosa | naranja | gris | morado |
| Sranan | broin | lekti redi | ólenisi | kulei | lila |
| Swedish | brun (c) brunt (n) bruna (pl) |
skär (c) skärt (n) skära (pl) |
orange (c) orange (n) oranga (pl) |
grå (c) grått (n) gråa (pl) |
violett (c) violett (n) violetta (pl) |
| Turkish | kahve rengi | pembe | turuncu | gri | mor |
| Tuvaluan | - | - | ólenisi | kulei | - |
| Vietnamese | nâu | hồng | cam | xám | tím |
| Welsh | brown | pinc | oren | llwyd glas |
piws porffor |
| Xhosa | ntsundu | pinki | orenji | ngwevu | mfusa |
| Yiddish | ברוין (broyn) |
ראָז (roz) |
מאַראַנץ (marants) |
גרוי (groy) |
לילאַ (lila) |
| Yucatec Maya | 'ik/chak/k'an | chak | k'an | 'ik/saak | - |
Please send me all the colour words you know in your language(s), i.e. the equivalents of the ones on this page (if they exist), plus any others there are.
It would be interesting if you could also indicate:
Lists of colours
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_colors
Research on colour words
http://www.putlearningfirst.com/language/research/colour_words.html
The colour of words
http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/colour.htm
Japanese colours
http://nihongoup.com/blog/japanese-color-names/
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