赤
aka[a̠ka̠]
The English word "red" is translated into Japanese as 赤 (aka).
The primary meaning of 赤 is the color red. Additionally, the katakana form アカ is used as slang to refer to left-wing, socialist or communist political leanings.
Meaning: colour (noun)
Which one should you use?
Use the noun form 赤 to refer to the color itself.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a noun, 赤 does not take the -i ending.
How do you pronounce it?
aka
Did you know?
- The Japanese word for 'baby' is 赤ちゃん (akachan), which translates literally to 'little red one' because newborns often have reddish skin.
- While 赤 is the color red, the word 朱 (shu) refers specifically to a bright vermilion, which is the traditional color used for the gates of Shinto shrines.
- In certain traditional contexts, 'red' and 'white' together, 紅白 (kohaku), signify a celebratory or auspicious state, much like 'red, white and blue' might signal certain much more patriotic themes in English.
Examples in context
- 顔が赤いよ。Your face is red.Tatoeba #183646 by bunbuku, translation #20768 by CK
- 私の耳、赤い？Are my ears red?Tatoeba #8705960 by bunbuku, translation #3170753 by CK
- リンゴは赤い。Apples are red.Tatoeba #10667328 by YT, translation #430055 by witbrock
- この旗は赤です。This flag is red.
- 赤いワインをください。Please give me red wine.
- このシャツは赤いよ。This shirt is red.
- あの車は赤かった。That car was red.
- 329 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yota and Yui are looking at a car in a parking lot.
- 陽太 Yotaこの車、いい色だね。Kono kuruma, ii iro dane.This car has a nice color.
- 結衣 Yuiうん、私は赤が好きだよ。Un, watashi wa aka ga suki dayo.Yeah, I like red.
- 陽太 Yota本当にきれいな赤だね。Hontou ni kireina aka dane.It really is a beautiful red.
- 結衣 Yui私もそう思うよ。Watashi mo sou omou yo.I think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “red” translations and entries 赤, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
