1.
red; the color red
The color red, named explicitly as a color term. More formal and technical than the plain adjective or noun 赤, used when the context calls for a precise reference to the color itself.
A color name formed by 赤 (red) + 色 (color). Compared with the plain word 赤, adding 色 produces a slightly more technical or explicit reference — the kind of word used on color swatches, map legends, product descriptions, and in scientific contexts.
Common collocations
- 赤色の花: a red flower
- 赤色に染まる: to be dyed red
- 鮮やかな赤色: a vivid red
- 暗い赤色: a dark red
- 赤色灯: red light / red warning light
Similar words
- 赤: red — the everyday word; used for both the color and things that are red. More common in speech.
- 紅: crimson; deep red — a poetic or literary word, often used for dye, lipstick, or autumn leaves.
- 朱色: vermilion — a specific shade of red-orange, used for traditional shrine gates and seals.
Usage
Use 赤色 when you need to name the color precisely, as in "displayed in red" or "a button in red color." In everyday speech, 赤 alone is more natural: 赤いリンゴ (a red apple), not 赤色のリンゴ (though the latter is not wrong).