黄
yellow
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
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.