How to say colors in Korean? In this blog post, we will explore the fundamental color terms in Korean and practical phrases to enhance your language skills. Whether you are a beginner eager to broaden your linguistic horizons, or an advanced learner looking to refine your conversational skills, this guide will provide valuable insights into the colorful expressions of the Korean language. So, let’s embark on this linguistic journey together and add a splash of color to your Korean language learning experience!
In Korean, the word “Saek (색)” is a fundamental term that represents the concept of color. It acts as a crucial building block in the language for describing various hues and shades. When we talk about colors in Korean, “Saek” is typically used as a suffix, attached at the end of the color name to define and specify the color. For instance, “red” in Korean is “빨간색” (ppalgansaek), where “빨간” (ppalgan) means red, and “색” (saek) signifies color. This structure is consistent across different colors, providing a simple yet effective way of naming and identifying them.
This linguistic pattern reflects the importance of clarity and precision in the Korean language, especially when it comes to describing visual elements. By using “Saek” as a suffix, it becomes easier to distinguish between the color itself and objects or concepts associated with that color. For example, “파란색” (paransaek) clearly refers to the color blue, while “파란” (paran) alone could be interpreted in different contexts.
Understanding this aspect of Korean language structure is not only essential for learning the language but also offers insight into the way Korean culture categorizes and perceives colors. As you continue to learn Korean, paying attention to these linguistic patterns will greatly enhance your ability to communicate effectively and understand the nuances of this rich and expressive language.
Colors in Korean – Black and white
Black
| Black | Gum-Jung-Saek (검정색) |
| Gga-Marn-Saek (까만색) |
Black is Gum-Jung-Saek (검정색) in Korean or it can be simply Gum-Jung.
To describe that the color is very dark, it can be said as Gga-Marn-Saek (까만색) as Gga-Marn means dark.
Example
- Black shoes: Gum-Jung-Seak Goo-Doo (검정색 구두)
- Black pants: Gum-Jung-Seak Baa-Jee (검정색 바지)
White
| White | Ha-Yarn-Saek (하얀색) |
| Hyeen-Saek (흰색) |
White is Ha-Yarn-Saek (하얀색) in Korean. Alternatively, Hyeen-Saek (흰색) can be used.
Example
- White car: Ha-Yarn Cha (하얀 차)
- White shirts: Hyeen-syeo-tsu (흰 셔츠)
Colors in Korean – Red, Blue, and Green
Red
| Red | Ppal-Garn-Saek (빨간색) |
| Ppal-Garng (빨강) |
Red is Ppal-Garn-Saek (빨간색) in Korean. Different spelling can be used such as Ppal-Garng (빨강) instead of Ppal-Garn (빨간)
Blue
| Blue | Pa-raan-Saek (파란색) |
| Dark blue | Narm-Saek (남색) |
Blue is Pa-raan-Saek (파란색) in Korean.
And dark blue can be called Narm-Saek (남색).
Green
| Green | Nock-Saek (녹색) |
| Cho-Lok-Saek (초록색) | |
| Light green | Yeon-Doo (연두) / Yeon-Doo-Saek (연두색) |
In Korean, green is Nock-Saek (녹색) or Cho-Lok-Saek (초록색). This is the general word for green, however, for lighter green color, it is common to say 연두 Yeon-Doo or Yeon-Doo-Saek.
Colors in Korean – commonly used colors
Gray
| Gray | Hoe-Saek (회색) |
Gray is Hoe-Saek (회색) in Korean.
Pink
| Pink | Boon-Hong-Saek (분홍색) |
| Pin-K (핑크) / Pin-K-Saek (핑크색) |
Pink is Boon-Hong-Saek (분홍색) in Korean.
Alternatively, the English word ‘Pink’ is used as it is. When you use the English word pink, it is important to pronounciate k longer at the end.
Orange color
| Orange color | Joo-Hwarng-Saek (주황색) |
Orange color is Joo-Hwarng-Saek (주황색) in Korean.
Yellow
| Yellow | No-Raan-Saek (노란색) |
| No-Rarng-Saek (노랑색) |
Yellow is No-Raan-Saek (노란색) in Korean.
Just like the alternative of red color, No-Rarng can be used instead of No-Raan
Purple
| Purple | Bo-Ra-Saek (보라색) |
Purple is Bo-Ra-Saek (보라색) in Korean.
Tips to describe light shades of each colors
- Use the word ‘pastel’
If you use the word pastel (read ‘Paa-su-tel’ 파스텔 in Korean) before each word, it is assumed that the lighter tone of the colors.
- Use the word ‘light’
Simply use the word ‘light’ to describe the color is lighter shade of the color. Light is Barlgeun (밝은) in Korean.
In this post, we learned about the colors in Korean. If you’d like to get more tips on Korean language, please check out my other posts linked below.
New Year Greetings in Korea: 5 Korean phrases for New Year
Most Used Korean Phrases in Korean Dramas