dye; dyestuff; coloring agent
General term for substances used to color textiles, food, hair, etc. Often used in industrial and everyday contexts.
This dye dissolves easily in water.
I dyed the cloth with natural dye.
染料 is a dye used mainly for coloring textiles or materials, whereas 着色料 usually refers to additives used in food or manufactured goods.
染料 is the physical dye substance used to color things, while 染色 is the act or process of dyeing itself.
Compound of 染 (sen, 'to dye') and 料 (ryō, 'material'). The reading is on'yomi.
naphthol dye; azoic dye; ice color