Colours

[Kuro_Tsubasa69]

Hi, I was wondering about the different endings for colours.

i.e., I've seen bleu as 'ao' , 'aoi', and 'aoiro'. (Mind you, I don't know if the translators were correct... .) and black as 'kuro' and 'kuroi'.

Can anyone please explain to me why this is?

Thank you!!

 

[Keiichi]

I'm not sure why it's like that, but basically they're interchangable between an adjective and a noun.
When kuroi is used, it is an adjective. when kuro is used, it's a noun.
And there's only a certain way you can use a certain one. So if you want to answer someone's question, such as "what color is this?" To say "it's black," you'd use "kuro desu." Not "kuroi desu."
Kinda weird. ^^;

 

[Kuro_Tsubasa69]

Oh! Thank you, keiichi-san!

 

[beluga]

Just wonder....

Just wondering how that Japanese know whether you're refering to blue or green when you say it's 青 (or 青い).

 

[Elizabeth]

Re: Just wonder....

Originally posted by beluga
Just wondering how that Japanese know whether you're refering to blue or green when you say it's 青 (or 青い).

I think aoi is usually blue, but it depends on the object....traffic lights and a certain type of seaweed are aoi for sure--but aren't natural things like green vegetables, fruits (except cucumbers?), grass and leaves as well?

 

[Elizabeth]

Originally posted by Keiichi
I'm not sure why it's like that, but basically they're interchangable between an adjective and a noun.
When kuroi is used, it is an adjective. when kuro is used, it's a noun.
And there's only a certain way you can use a certain one. So if you want to answer someone's question, such as "what color is this?" To say "it's black," you'd use "kuro desu." Not "kuroi desu."
Kinda weird. ^^;

Although after "ga" I think you can use either and maybe the adjectival form is even more common (esp before just "ne" without desu). Particularly with "aka(i)," I've never heard something like "Kao ga aka ne".... It's always "ga akai ne."

 

[Elizabeth]

Originally posted by Elizabeth
(esp before just "ne" without desu).

And come to think of it, this may be the case with "wa" as well....

 

[mdchachi]

Just remember which is the noun and which is the adjective and that should take care of most situations.

Also to answer the first poster's question a little further. aoiro also means blue. It's the difference between saying (the noun) "blue" and "the color blue." Basically the same thing.

Regarding ao:You would use "ao" for green things when the main characteristic that you are talking about is that it's "fresh," "lush" or "verdant." Or if it really is a color between green & blue (like we have "blue spruce" trees which aren't really blue but not really green either).

 

[Kuro_Tsubasa69]

Wow! Thank you all very much for your help!