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Kotomora

彩

coloring, paint, makeup

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • サイ

Kun'yomi

  • いろど.る

Nanori

  • あや
  • さ
  • さえ
  • つや

Meaning

彩 centers on adding color or decoration to something: coloring, painting, or applying makeup to enhance appearance.

Most common words using 彩

20 of 63
  • 色彩しきさい
    N2

    colour; color; hue; tints

  • 多彩たさい
    N2

    colourful; colorful; multicoloured; multicolored; varicoloured; varicolored

  • 迷彩めいさい

    camouflage; disguise

  • 彩るいろどる

    to colour; to color; to paint

  • 水彩すいさい

    watercolor painting

  • 彩色さいしき

    colouring; coloring; colouration; coloration; painting

  • 彩りいろどり

    coloring; colouring; coloration; colouration

  • 油彩ゆさい

    oil painting

  • 彩雲さいうん

    iridescent clouds; glowing clouds

  • 虹彩こうさい

    iris

  • 異彩いさい

    conspicuousness (usu. color); prominence; distinctiveness

  • 精彩せいさい

    brilliance; luster; lustre; colorfulness; colourfulness

  • 極彩色ごくさいしき

    richly colored; richly coloured

  • 光彩こうさい

    brilliance; splendour; splendor; lustre; luster

  • 水彩画すいさいが

    watercolor painting; watercolour painting

  • 不透明水彩ふとうめいすいさい

    gouache

  • 五彩ごさい

    the five colours: green, yellow, red, white and black; the five colors; five-coloured porcelain; five-colored porcelain

  • 光学迷彩こうがくめいさい

    optical camouflage

  • 光彩陸離こうさいりくり

    dazzling; brilliant

  • 国際色彩学会こくさいしきさいがっかい

    International Colour Association; AIC

Explore all words using 彩 →

Study

Etymology

彩 combines 采 (picking, gathering) with 彡 (hair, decorative pattern). The compound suggests gathering colors or applying decorative patterns, leading to the idea of coloring or painting.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 采 looks like a hand picking something, and the right side 彡 suggests decorative strokes. Imagine a hand picking up a brush and adding colorful strokes to a canvas: 彩 is coloring or painting.

Reading mnemonic

For サイ, imagine a sigh of satisfaction as you finish coloring a beautiful picture: sigh -> サイ, and the colors make you sigh with pleasure.