紅(くれない)

くれない
noun
crimson; deep red
formalcolornature
1. crimson; deep red; scarlet
A vivid, deep red color. Originally referred to the dye extracted from safflower (紅花). A literary and poetic word for red.
紅(くれない)に染(そ)まる。
To be dyed crimson.
夕焼(ゆうや)けが空(そら)を紅(くれない)に染(そ)めた。
The sunset dyed the sky crimson.
秋(あき)になると、山(やま)の木々(きぎ)が紅(くれない)に色(いろ)づき、美(うつく)しい風景(ふうけい)が広(ひろ)がる。
In autumn, the mountain trees turn crimson, creating a beautiful landscape.

A literary and elegant word for a deep, vivid red. The character 紅(くれない) can also be read as べに (lipstick, rouge) — a separate entry — but くれない specifically refers to the color itself with a poetic nuance.

Etymology

Derived from the dye produced from 紅花(べにばな) (safflower), which was historically imported via China. The word くれない is thought to come from 呉(くれ)の藍(あい) (indigo/dye from the kingdom of Wu), referring to the Chinese origin of the dyeing technique.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 赤(あか): red — the everyday, general-purpose word for red
  • べに (紅(べに)): rouge, lipstick — the cosmetic reading of the same character
  • 緋(ひ): scarlet — a brighter, more orange-tinged red

Related Words

Compare: 赤(あか) (red)
Compare: 紅(べに) (rouge, crimson red, lipstick)
Related: 朱色(しゅいろ) (vermillion)
Compare: 赤色(あかいろ) (red)
Compare: 朱(しゅ) (vermillion)
general
Added 2026.3.30 15:36 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
20500/20669_kurenai