赤(あか)

赤(あか) is one of the basic Japanese color words. Can function as a noun, no-adjective, or the base of the i-adjective 赤(あか)い.

Usage

赤(あか) is the noun — the name of the color — and is used when the color itself is the topic: 赤(あか)が好(す)き (I like red), 信号(しんごう)が赤(あか)に変(か)わる (the light turns red).

To describe a noun directly, use the i-adjective 赤(あか)い (赤(あか)い花(はな)), not 赤(あか)の. 赤(あか)の + noun is largely restricted to set phrases such as 赤(あか)の他人(たにん) (complete stranger), where 赤(あか) carries the older sense "plain, utter" rather than the color.

Forms

• Noun: 赤(あか)が好(す)き (I like red)
• No-adjective: 赤(あか)の他人(たにん) (complete stranger)
• I-adjective: 赤(あか)い花(はな) (red flower)

Common expressions

• 赤(あか)ちゃん: baby
• 赤(あか)ワイン: red wine
• 真(ま)っ赤(か): bright red; blatant (lie)
• 赤(あか)の他人(たにん): complete stranger
• 赤字(あかじ): deficit, in the red

真(ま)っ赤(か)な嘘(うそ): a blatant lie