Activities: "How to describe color in Japanese?"
Activity: Traditional colors
Let’s get familiar with some traditional Japanese colors that consist of the “object + 色[iro](color)” structure.
Part A:
Let’s finish the color table by filling the blanks with one of the English equivalents given in the Word Bank. You can use each word only once.
鼠色[nezumi iro](mouse color) =
桜色[sakura iro](cherry blossom color) =
水色[mizu iro](water color) =
藤色[fuji iro](wisteria color) =
飴色[ame iro](candy color) =
焦茶色[kogecha iro](burnt tea color) =
桃色[momo iro](peach color) =
狐色[kitsune iro](fox color) =
萌葱色[moegi iro](“sprouted green onion” color) =
Part B:
Finish the following sentences using the Japanese colors given in the table above.
パンが焼けた！こんがりだ。
Pan ga yaketa! Kongari da.
Bread is done! They are perfectly golden brown.その女の子は、ほんのり頬をして、恥しそうに微笑んだ。
Sono on’na no ko wa hon’nori ... ho’o o shite, hazukashisōni hohoenda.
The girl smiled shyly with her cheeks blushed in a delicate shade of pale pink. (lit., “slightly pale pink cheeks”)
→ ほんのり[hon’nori](slightly; faintly); 頬[ho’o](cheek(s))ムさんの目はきれいなですね。
Tomu san no me wa kireina ... desu ne.
You have beautiful light blue eyes, don’t you, Tom?次に玉ねぎをになるまで炒めてください。
Tsugi ni tamanegi o ... ni naru made itamete kudasai.
Next, sauté onions until they turn amber in color.
→ 〜になる[…ni naru](to turn [into] …)うちのタマはです。猫だけど。
Uchi no Tama wa ... desu. Neko da kedo.
Our Tama is gray-colored. She is a cat though.
→ “Tama” is a traditional Japanese name given to a cat (maybe like “Kitty” in English).
