How do you say "yellow" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "yellow" is 黄色 (kīro). It is a adjective pronounced "kee-roh".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Pronunciation

黄色 is written in kanji. Romanised as kīro, it sounds roughly like "kee-roh" to an English ear.

Example sentence

ひまわりの花は黄色です。

Himawari no hana wa kiiro desu.

Sunflowers are yellow.

Usage notes

Kiiro (黄色) means yellow. The kanji 黄 has been used in Japan since ancient times and appears in classic literature. Yellow is associated with sunshine and happiness.

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Questions about 黄色

How do you pronounce 黄色?

黄色 is romanised as kīro. Say it roughly like "kee-roh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 黄色 formal or casual?

黄色 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 黄色 written in Japanese?

黄色 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.