色めく

• 読み: いろめく
• ローマ字: iromeku
• 漢字の分解: 色 (shoku/iro) — colour, emotion, mood
• 発音: /i.ɾo.me.kɯ/

意味

To become agitated; to stir with excitement; to be roused. Describes a sudden shift in atmosphere when something unexpected or provocative occurs.

A Group 1 (godan) verb formed from 色 (iro, colour/emotion) and めく (meku, suffix meaning 'to take on the quality of'). Primarily describes a group or atmosphere that suddenly becomes animated, alert, or excited — often at the announcement of surprising news or a dramatic development. Can also carry a romantic nuance in older literary usage.

例文

1. 候補者の辞退表明に、会場全体が色めいた。
2. 思いがけない朗報に、チームの雰囲気が一気に色めいた。
3. 新しいライバルの登場に周囲が色めく中、彼だけは冷静だった。

使い方ガイド

場面: politics, sports, literature, group dynamics

トーン: neutral

起源と歴史

Compound of 色 (iro, colour; by extension emotion, mood) and めく (meku), a classical suffix forming verbs that mean 'to take on the appearance or feeling of.' The metaphor is that the atmosphere suddenly takes on vivid emotional colour.

文化的背景

時代: Classical–Modern

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Universal