緋色(ひいろ)

A vivid bright red, one of Japan's traditional colors. The character 緋(ひ) specifically refers to this shade of red and is rarely used outside of color descriptions.

Common collocations

• 緋色(ひいろ)の着物(きもの): scarlet kimono
• 緋色(ひいろ)の袴(はかま): scarlet hakama (worn by shrine maidens)
• 緋色(ひいろ)に染(そ)まる: to turn scarlet

Similar words

• 茜色(あかねいろ): madder red — a warmer, more orange-tinged red
• 朱色(しゅいろ): vermilion — a brighter, more orange shade
• 紅色(べにいろ): crimson — a deeper, cooler red
• 真(ま)っ赤(か): bright red — everyday word for vivid red

Cultural note

In traditional Japan, 緋色(ひいろ) was associated with high social rank. The scarlet 袴(はかま) worn by 巫女(みこ) (shrine maidens) is one of the most recognizable examples. The color also appears in the Japanese title of Arthur Conan Doyle's "A Study in Scarlet" (緋色(ひいろ)の研究(けんきゅう)).