Translation guide
Describing the colour of a person's skin in Japanese requires sensitivity. Direct translations like 肌色 (hadairo) exist but can be problematic. This guide covers natural and appropriate ways to refer to skin colour.
Describing someone's skin colour in a neutral, descriptive way.
The most direct and neutral phrase for 'skin colour'. Can be used in most contexts.
彼女は肌の色が白い。
She has fair skin.
I'm looking for a foundation that matches my skin colour.
Literally 'skin colour', often used to mean a light peach/beige colour. Can be seen as outdated or insensitive because it implies a default skin colour. Use with caution.
May be considered inappropriate as it assumes a specific skin tone as the norm.
このクレヨンは肌色です。
This crayon is skin-coloured (peach).
Refers to 'skin tone', often used in cosmetics and fashion contexts.
肌のトーンが明るくなりました。
My skin tone has become brighter.
Describing specific shades of skin colour.
Describes someone with fair or pale skin. Often considered attractive in Japan.
彼は色白で、髪が黒い。
He has fair skin and black hair.
Describes someone with dark or tanned skin. Can be neutral or slightly negative depending on context.
Literally 'wheat-coloured skin', a positive term for tanned or olive skin.
小麦色の肌が健康的で素敵です。
Wheat-coloured skin looks healthy and lovely.
Means 'brown skin', often used in literary or descriptive contexts.
褐色の肌を持つ人々。
People with brown skin.
Talking about skin colour when choosing makeup or skincare products.
Means 'matches your skin colour'. Essential for buying foundation or concealer.
このファンデーションは肌の色に合いますか？
Does this foundation match my skin colour?
Refers to the shade number in makeup products.
色番号はOC-10です。
The shade number is OC-10.
The word 肌色 (hadairo) traditionally refers to a light peach colour and is still used in some products like crayons. However, it can be offensive because it implies that this is the 'normal' skin colour. Many schools and companies now avoid the term. Use 肌の色 (hada no iro) or specific colour terms instead.
肌色のクレヨンは「うすだいだい」と呼ばれることもあります。
The 'skin-coloured' crayon is sometimes called 'light orange'.
When describing a person's skin colour, it's often more polite to use terms like 色白 (irojiro) or 色黒 (iroguro) rather than direct colour words. However, commenting on someone's skin colour can be sensitive, so use with care.
I went to the beach in summer and got tanned.