薄紫
usumurasaki
In Japanese, mauve can be expressed as 薄紫 (usumurasaki). Wiktionary also lists 藤色 (fujiiro) and 薄紫の (usumurasaki no).
Meaning: colour (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 薄紫 | usumurasaki | |
| 藤色 | fujiiro | [ɸɯ̟ʑiːɾo̞] (narrow) |
| 薄紫の | usumurasaki no | |
| 藤色の | fujiiro no |
The term refers to the color mauve or light purple shades.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 薄紫 (usumurasaki) is composed of usu, meaning thin or pale and murasaki, meaning purple. The word 藤色 (fujiiro) is composed of fuji, meaning wisteria and iro, meaning color.
Which one should you use?
Use 薄紫 (usumurasaki) for a general light purple or mauve shade. Use 藤色 (fujiiro) when you want to specifically evoke the elegant, slightly more saturated color of wisteria flowers.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The words 薄紫 and 藤色 can function as nouns on their own to mean 'the color mauve'. To use them as adjectives to modify a noun, add の to the end, resulting in 薄紫の or 藤色の.
How do you pronounce it?
usumurasaki
Did you know?
- The word fuji refers to both the wisteria flower used for the color 藤色 and Mount Fuji, though they are written with different kanji characters.
- The term murasaki is famously linked to 'The Tale of Genji', the world's first novel, which features a central character named Murasaki.
- In traditional Japanese aesthetics, the color murasaki (purple) was once a strictly regulated symbol of high rank and status. While modern mauve is common, historically, certain shades of purple were legally reserved only for the nobility.
Examples in context
- このセーターを見て！すごく可愛い「薄紫（うすむらさき）」でしょう？Look at this sweater! It's so cute, don't you think? It's "usumurasaki" (mauve).
- マツエクで「モーブカラー」を選ぶと、目が一層引き立ちますよ。If you choose "moobu karā" (mauve) for your eyelash extensions, your eyes will stand out even more.
- このドレスは薄紫です。Kono doresu wa usumurasaki desu.This dress is mauve.
- 薄紫の花が咲きました。Usumurasaki no hana ga sakimashita.Mauve flowers have bloomed.
- 壁を薄紫に塗りたいです。Kabe o usumurasaki ni nuritai desu.I want to paint the wall mauve.
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are looking at fabric for a new curtain.
- 陽太 Yotaこの薄紫の生地はどうかな？kono usumurasaki no kiji wa dou kana?What do you think of this mauve fabric?
- 美咲 Misakiとてもいい色だと思います。totemo ii iro da to omoimasu.I think it is a very nice color.
- 陽太 Yota部屋に合うと思う？heya ni au to omou?Do you think it fits the room?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、きっと似合いますよ。hai, kitto niaimasu yo.Yes, I'm sure it will look great.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mauve” translations and entries 藤色, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
