How do you say "yellow" in Japanese?

黄色

kīro

Adjective Kanji

In Japanese, "yellow" is 黄色 (kīro).

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Pronunciation

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

Writing and usage

Kiiro (黄色) means yellow and uses the ancient kanji 黄 that has appeared in Japanese literature since classical times. Yellow is associated with sunshine and happiness.

Example sentence

ひまわりの花は黄色です。

Himawari no hana wa kiiro desu.

Sunflowers are yellow.

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How to remember 黄色

The kanji 黄 looks like a simplified sun. Picture bright sunlight to remember this warm, happy color.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese adjectives.

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 neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 黄色 written in Japanese?

黄色 is written using kanji. Kiiro (黄色) means yellow and uses the ancient kanji 黄 that has appeared in Japanese literature since classical times.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Yellow" in other languages

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