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色使い (irozukai) Japanese meaning: use of color | Kotomora

色いろ使づかい

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Meanings

1

use of color; color usage; color scheme

Refers to the way colors are used, chosen, or combined in art, design, fashion, or description.

彼かの女じょの絵えは色いろ使づかいがとても鮮あざやかだ。

Her paintings have very vivid color usage.

この部屋へやの色いろ使づかいは落おち着ついた雰ふん囲い気きを出だしている。

The color scheme of this room creates a calm atmosphere.

Usage patterns

色いろ使づかいが鮮あざやかだthe color usage/scheme is vivid
この絵えは色いろ使づかいが鮮あざやかで印いん象しょう的てきだ。
This painting has a vivid and striking use of color.
〈物もの〉の色いろ使づかいを工く夫ふうするto be creative with the color scheme of something
デザイナーは服ふくの色いろ使づかいを工く夫ふうした。
The designer was creative with the color scheme of the clothes.
色いろ使づかいに特とく徴ちょうがあるto have a distinctive use of color
彼かれの作さく品ひんは色いろ使づかいに特とく徴ちょうがある。
His work has a distinctive use of color.

Kanji

色color
使use, send on a mission, order
遣dispatch, despatch, send

Related words

配はい色しょく
配色 refers to a deliberately planned color combination or scheme, while 色使い is the broader term covering both the choice and the skillful handling of colors.
色しき彩さいN2
色彩 refers to color or coloring itself as a quality, while 色使い refers specifically to how colors are chosen and combined in a piece of work.

Don't confuse with

言こと葉ば遣づかいN3
色使い and 言葉遣い share the pattern 〜使い/遣い meaning 'way of using X,' but 色使い is about colors while 言葉遣い is about wording or speech style.

Built from

色いろ+使つかう

Written forms

色いろ使づかいUsage83%
Standard kanji spelling.
色いろづかいUsage17%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
色いろ遣づかいUsage1%
Alternate kanji spelling using 遣い; less common but still encountered.

Etymology

Compound of 色 (iro, 'color') and 使い (tsukai, 'use, handling'). The reading づかい is a rendaku form of つかい.