黒 / 黒い (kuro / kuroi) / ブラック (burakku)
Shades of black and black-related expressions
- 墨色 (sumi-iro) - ink black
- 濡れ羽色 (mureba-iro) - jet black
- 黒黒 / 黒々 (kuroguro) - deep black
- 真っ黒 / 真黒 (makkuro) - pitch black
- 烏羽色 (karasuba-iro) - glossy black
- 闇商人 (yamishōnin) - black marketeer
- 珍中の珍 (chinchū no chin) - rarity; black swan
- 焼け野の鴉 (yakenonokarasu) - blacker than black
白 / 白い (shiro / shiroi) - white; good guy; 'white hat'
Shades of white and white-related expressions
- 白湯 (sayu) - hot/boiled water
- 白紙 (hakushi) - blank/white paper
- 真白 (mashiro) - pure white
- 象牙色 (zōge-iro) - ivory-white
赤 / 赤い (aka / akai); 丹色 (ni-iro)
Shades of red and red-related expressions
- 暗紅色/暗赤色 (ankōshoku) - dark red
- 浅紅 (senkō) / 薄肉 (usuniku) - light red
- 紅梅色 (kōbai-iro) - red plum coloured
- 桜色 (sakura-iro) - cherry blossom coloured
- 桃色 (momo-iro) - peach-coloured
- 紅海 (kōkai) - Red Sea
- 赤熱 (sekinetsu) - red hot
黄色 (ki-iro / ōshoku / kōshoku) - yellow; amber
Shades of yellow and yellow-related expressions
- 浅黄 (asagi) / 桑色 (kuwa-iro) - light yellow
- 黄鉛 (ōen / kōen) - chrome yellow
- 黄枯茶 (kigarachya) - bluish yellow
- 朽ち葉色 (kuchiba-iro) - yellow-brown
- 黄海 (kōkai) - Yellow Sea
青 / 青色 (ao / ao-iro) - blue/green / ブリュ (buryu) - blue
Shades of blue and blue-related expressions
- 水色 (mizudori) - light blue (water colour)
- 濃紺 (nōkon) - dark blue
- 紺色 (kon-iro) - deep blue
- 紺青 (konshō) - navy blue
- 空色 (sora-iro) - sky-blue
- 碧眼 (hekigan) - blue eyes
緑 (midori) - green
Shades of green and green-related expressions
- 碧色 (hekishoku) - green; emerald
- 黄緑 (kimidori) / 浅緑 (asamidori) - light green
- 草色 (kuchi-iro) / 暗緑 (hisui-iro) - dark green
茶色 (chairo) / 褐色 (kasshoku) - brown
Shades of brown
- 黒茶色 (kurocha-iro) - deep brown
- 暗褐色 (ankashoku) / 濃褐色 (n) - dark brown
- 狐色 (kitsune-iro) 淡褐色 (tankasshoku) - light brown
桃色 (momoiro) / 淡紅色 (tankōshoku) / ピンク - pink
Shades of pink and pink-related expressions
- 濃桃 (nōtō) - deep pink
- 褪紅 (taikō) - light pink
橙色 (daidaiiro) / オレンジ (orenji) - orange
灰色 (haiiro) / 鼠色 (muzumi-iro) - grey
紫 (murasaki) / パープル (pūpuru) - purple
Shades of purple and purple-related expressions
- 濃紫 (komurasaki) - dark purple
- 浅紫 (achimurasaki) - light purple