How do you say "red" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "red" is (aka). It is a adjective pronounced "ah-kah".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Pronunciation

赤 is written in kanji. Romanised as aka, it sounds roughly like "ah-kah" to an English ear.

Example sentence

そのリンゴは赤です。

Sono ringo wa aka desu.

That apple is red.

Usage notes

Aka (赤) means red. Red is culturally significant in Japan, associated with energy, celebration, and good luck. Shinto shrines feature iconic red torii gates.

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Questions about 赤

How do you pronounce 赤?

赤 is romanised as aka. Say it roughly like "ah-kah" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 赤 formal or casual?

赤 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 赤 written in Japanese?

赤 is written using kanji. Kanji characters carry the core meaning; any hiragana or katakana that follow show grammatical endings.

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.