1.
madder red; deep reddish-orange
A warm, deep red color tinged with orange, named after the dye obtained from the roots of the madder plant (茜). Especially associated with the color of the sky at sunset.
茜色の空。
A madder-red sky.
夕日が山を茜色に染めた。
The setting sun dyed the mountains madder red.
茜色に染まった夕焼けを眺めながら、帰り道を歩いた。
I walked home while gazing at the sunset sky dyed in deep reddish-orange.
Composed of 茜 (madder plant, Rubia) and 色 (color). The madder plant has been used since ancient times in Japan to produce a characteristic deep reddish-orange dye.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 茜色の空: a madder-red sky
- 茜色に染まる: to be dyed madder red
- 茜色に染める: to dye something madder red
- 茜色の夕焼け: a madder-red sunset
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 朱色: vermilion — a brighter, more orange-red
- 緋色: scarlet — a vivid, pure red
- 紅色: crimson — a deeper, cooler red
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
This color is deeply associated with Japanese literature and poetry, where it evokes the beauty of sunset skies. It is one of Japan's traditional colors (和色) and appears frequently in song lyrics, novel titles, and descriptions of natural scenery.