1.
primary color
One of the fundamental colors from which all other colors can be mixed — red, blue, and yellow in art, or red, green, and blue in light.
2.
vivid color; bold, unmixed color
By extension, any bright, saturated, pure color. Often used to describe bold or striking color choices in fashion, design, or nature.
Usage
In technical usage, 原色 refers strictly to primary colors in color theory. In everyday usage, it broadly describes any bold, saturated color that has not been softened or mixed — the kind of bright hues found in tropical scenery or pop art.
Common collocations
- 三原色 (three primary colors)
- 原色の花 (vividly colored flowers)
- 原色を使う (to use vivid colors)
- 光の原色 (primary colors of light)
Forms
原 (original, fundamental) + 色 (color).