Comments on: Japan: It’s Better in Color

By: chikaraginger

chikaraginger — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 08:41:00 +0000

And yet, the sun, most of the time, is closer to white than anything else… but hey, it’s no fun coloring things white.

By: chikaraginger

chikaraginger — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 08:40:00 +0000

Ask a japanese person to point out “Peach” in a crayola box and they’ll point to something pinkish. Ask an English speaker the same and they’ll point out a yellow-orange color (or perhaps what used to be called “skin color”). Why the difference? Japanese use the blossom as the main reference, English speakers use the fruit. Interestingly, in kids books, the peach that momotarou came from is decidedly more pink than the fruit itself. Also, in Japan “melon” is a color. The color of a honeydew melon. In English, it’s more ambiguous. You may get reddish-pink (water melon) or dark green.

By: Chikara

Chikara — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 08:27:00 +0000

But purple has red in it. Just like green has blue in it. At least in the subtractive color model. Maroon has some blue in it… and therefore is no longer pure red… rather it’s purple.

By: Jgh

Jgh — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 21:40:00 +0000

The cobbler’s children always go barefoot ;)

By: fee_fi_Fiona

fee_fi_Fiona — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 03:54:00 +0000

Hmm… I had quick google about this.

From what I can tell, まっきいろ is actually 末期色, literally the “color at deathbed.” But it seems like it transformed into into the homonym 真っ黄色 somehow. I’m not sure why though – perhaps the Japanese perceive a deathly pallor as yellow?

I don’t think this situation is entirely unusual in Japanese, either. The mochi cakes called 大福 (だいふく), literally “great fortune,” was previously the homonym 大腹 or “big belly” because mochi cakes are considered so filling.

By: Jade

Jade — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 03:39:00 +0000

Wonderful post! That was such an interesting glimpse into Japanese culture. Thanks Fiona! Can’t wait to read more from you.