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Kotomora

黄

yellow

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • コウ
  • オウ

Kun'yomi

  • き
  • こ-

Nanori

  • うい
  • れい

Meaning

黄 centers on the color yellow, the hue of earth, gold, and autumn leaves.

Most common words using 黄

20 of 279
  • 黄色きいろ
    N5

    yellow; amber

  • 黄金おうごん
    N1

    gold (Au)

  • 黄金こがね

    gold

  • 黄き

    yellow

  • 黄色いきいろい
    N5

    yellow

  • 硫黄いおう

    sulfur (S); sulphur

  • 黄昏たそがれ
    N1

    dusk; twilight

  • 黄泉よみ

    Hades; hell; underworld

  • 卵黄らんおう

    egg yolk

  • 黄身きみ

    egg yolk

  • 水戸黄門みとこうもん

    Mito Kōmon (televised period drama; 1969-2011)

  • 黄砂こうさ

    yellow sand; yellow dust; Asian dust; dust carried on high winds from Mongolia, northern China, and Kazakhstan

  • 黄土おうど

    loess

  • 黄疸おうだん

    jaundice; icterus

  • 黄道こうどう

    ecliptic

  • 緑黄色りょくおうしょく

    greenish yellow

  • 黄河こうが

    Yellow River (China)

  • 黄金虫こがねむし

    scarabaeid beetle

  • 黄銅おうどう

    brass

  • 黄ばみきばみ

    yellow tint

Explore all words using 黄 →

Study

Etymology

黄 is a pictograph of an ornament or jade pendant, later used for the color yellow. The modern form retains a symmetrical shape with a central 田-like element and spreading legs.

Meaning mnemonic

The shape resembles a field 田 with legs ハ, like golden wheat stalks spreading in a yellow field.

Reading mnemonic

For コウ, imagine a yellow coat hanging in a field: coat -> コウ, and its bright yellow color stands out.