How do you say "gray" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "gray" is グレー (gurē). It is a adjective pronounced "goo-reh".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Pronunciation

グレー is written in katakana. Romanised as gurē, it sounds roughly like "goo-reh" to an English ear.

Example sentence

その猫はグレーの毛をしています。

Sono neko wa guree no ke wo shite imasu.

That cat has grey fur.

Usage notes

Guree (グレー) is a loanword from English for grey. The traditional Japanese equivalent is haiiro (灰色), meaning ash color, and is more commonly used in formal writing.

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Questions about グレー

How do you pronounce グレー?

グレー is romanised as gurē. Say it roughly like "goo-reh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is グレー formal or casual?

グレー is a na-adjective or noun-adjective. It is neutral in register and fits naturally in both casual and polite sentences. Add na before a noun, or use desu for a polite predicate.

How is グレー written in Japanese?

グレー is written using katakana. Katakana is typically used for words of foreign origin or to give emphasis.

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation.