顔料(がんりょう)

がんりょう
noun
pigment
1. pigment; coloring material
A fine powder or substance that gives color to paint, ink, cosmetics, or other materials. Unlike dyes, pigments are insoluble and remain as particles suspended in a medium.
天然(てんねん)顔料(がんりょう)を使(つか)う。
To use natural pigments.
この絵(え)の具(ぐ)には高品質(こうひんしつ)な顔料(がんりょう)が使(つか)われている。
High-quality pigments are used in this paint.
日本画(にほんが)では鉱物(こうぶつ)から作(つく)られた顔料(がんりょう)が伝統的(でんとうてき)に使(つか)われてきた。
In Japanese painting, pigments made from minerals have traditionally been used.

The kanji 顔(がん) here means 'color/appearance' (not 'face'), and 料(りょう) means 'material.' Pigments are distinguished from dyes (染料(せんりょう)) in that pigments are insoluble particles while dyes dissolve into the material they color.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 天然(てんねん)顔料(がんりょう) — natural pigment
  • 合成(ごうせい)顔料(がんりょう) — synthetic pigment
  • 顔料(がんりょう)インク — pigment ink
  • 無機(むき)顔料(がんりょう) — inorganic pigment

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 染料(せんりょう) — dye (dissolves into material, unlike pigments)
  • 塗料(とりょう) — paint, coating material (the finished product containing pigments)
  • 色素(しきそ) — coloring matter, pigment (broader term, includes biological pigments like melanin)
general
Added 2026.3.27 9:16
19500/19796_ganryou