Translation guide
The process or act of coloring fabrics, hair, or other materials using dyes. In Japanese, different verbs and nouns are used depending on what is being dyed and the method.
To dye cloth, thread, or other materials, often as a craft or industrial process.
The most common verb for 'to dye' something. Transitive verb; the object is the thing being dyed.
Dye the cloth blue.
She dyed the yarn red.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be dyed' or 'to become colored'. Used when the material itself changes color.
The cloth dyed beautifully.
Noun meaning 'dyeing' or 'staining', often used in technical or industrial contexts.
Dyeing technology is advancing.
Noun form of 染める, often used in compound words or as a suffix for dyeing methods.
Indigo dyeing is a traditional Japanese dyeing method.
To color one's hair, either at a salon or at home.
Standard phrase for 'to dye one's hair'. Literally 'dye hair'.
I had my hair dyed at the salon.
It's difficult to dye your own hair.
Loanword from English 'hair color', commonly used for hair dye products or the act of dyeing hair.
Specifically refers to dyeing gray hair. Common among older demographics.
A resist-dyeing technique where fabric is folded, twisted, or bound before dyeing.
Engaging in dyeing as a creative activity, such as indigo dyeing or natural dyeing.
染める (transitive) requires an object: 布を染める (dye cloth). 染まる (intransitive) describes the state: 布が染まる (cloth gets dyed). Using the wrong one can change the meaning or sound unnatural.
For bleaching hair, use 脱色する (だっしょくする) or ブリーチする. 染める implies adding color, not lightening.
市販のヘアカラーを使った。
I used a store-bought hair dye.
My father dyes his gray hair regularly.
タイダイのTシャツが好きだ。
I like tie-dye T-shirts.
I experienced indigo dyeing in Tokushima.