also: おうに
noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
orange color traditionally worn by the crown prince
Historical color term from the Japanese court; specifically the orange hue used for the crown prince's robes. A 禁色 (forbidden color) reserved for the imperial family.
黄丹は皇太子の袍の色として知られている。
Ōdan is known as the color of the crown prince's robe.
この絵巻では、黄丹の袍を着た人物が描かれている。
In this picture scroll, a figure wearing an ōdan robe is depicted.
The term 黄丹 literally means 'yellow-red' and refers to a specific orange hue. The exact historical derivation of the reading おうだん is uncertain, but it is a Sino-Japanese word (kango) used in the context of court colors.