Color has many meanings! (iro wa imi ga iroiro aru ● 色 は 意味 が いろいろ ある)
In fact, colors are one of the ancient ways through which a culture expresses its own identity, values and influences.
Do you know that, in Japanese, the word 色 itself is used to depict the manifold colors of humankind? 色 (combined with other kanjis) talks about us as members of the human race. It tells stories about our feelings, desires, and the erotic side of life. Let’s discover some of these expressions!
Sex-related expressions:
- Iro ● 色 itself can be used to imply the meaning of visual appeal, attractiveness, sexual feeling.
- Even if the adjective iroppoi ●色っぽい is literally translated as “colored”, it implies every time the meaning of something sexy, glamourous, attractive, voluptuous. In one word: erotic.
- Iroke ● 色気 is literally “color spirit” that implies a sexual or erotic interest. In this case, we should remember that iroke sometimes can simply mean “shade of color”.
Wanna learn more? While iroke no aru ● 色気 の ある means to have sex appeal, iroke no nai ● 色気 の ない has the opposite meaning of NOT having sex appeal (iroke no aru otoko ● 色気 の ある男 is a sexy guy; iroke no nai hito● 色気 の ない人is someone without sex appeal). - Iro otoko ● 色 男 or “color man” indicates an attractive hot guy, a lover, a lady-killer.
- The expression iro kichi onna ● 色きち女 means “color crazy woman” and indicates a nympho.
- Kohshoku ● 好色 communicates lust and sensuality but is simply an old-term to define what we call today “porn” or ポルノ● poruno.
- [expression] iro me wo tsukau ● 色 目 を 使う is translatable as “using eye color” and implies the act of flirting or seducing a man with amourous glances.
- [proverb] eiyu iro to konomu ● 英雄 色 と 好む means that heroes can enjoy sexual affairs.
Other expressions including the concept of 色:
- [proverb] ganshoku nashi literally means “colorless face” but it’s used to indicate the situation where one succumb to the other side’s enemy and turns pale (ganshoku nashi ● 顔色無し ● がんしょくなし).
- Double iro (iroiro ● 色々) has different meanings: various, this and that (iroiro ● 色々); I had various problems (iroiro komarimashita yo ● 色々 困りました よ); thank you for everything (iroiro arigatou ● 色々 ありがとう).
- Iroiro ● 色々 can be used together with a noun and followed by the particle na ● な to say “all sort of”. Iroiro na is commonly read also as ironna: for example, the expression “all sorts of people” can sound iroiro na hito OR ironna hito (色々な人).
Do you know other expressions or anecdotes related to iro ● 色? Please, share with us in the comment section below!
