色彩

• Reading: しきさい
• Romaji: shikisai
• Kanji breakdown: 色 (shoku/iro) — colour; 彩 (sai) — colouring, vivid hue, tint
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.ki.sa.i/

Meaning

Colour; hue; tint; colouring. Refers to colour in both literal (visual) and figurative (character, tone, flavour) senses.

More literary and elevated than the everyday 色 (colour). In figurative usage, 色彩 describes the ideological, emotional, or stylistic character of something — a speech may have 政治的色彩 (political colouring), a film may have 独自の色彩 (a distinctive tone). The figurative sense is especially prominent at N1 level. Common in art criticism, journalism, and literary analysis.

Examples

1. この絵は暖かな色彩が印象的で、見る者に深い安らぎを与える。 The warm colours in this painting are striking, offering viewers a deep sense of tranquillity.
2. 彼の演説には強い政治的色彩があり、賛否を巻き起こした。 His speech had a strong political colouring and stirred divided opinions.
3. 祭りの形式や色彩は地域によって大きく異なり、それぞれの文化を映し出す。 The forms and colours of festivals differ greatly from region to region, each reflecting its own distinct culture.

Usage Guide

Context: art, literature, journalism, analysis

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound of classical Chinese origin. 色 means colour, 彩 means colouring or vivid hue. The doubling of colour-related characters reinforces richness and vividness, distinguishing 色彩 from simple 色.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated