Korean/Lesson I4

[] Other languages... Learn Korean (Introduction) — Reading and writing • Conversation 1급: Beginner — 1. Greetings • 2. Forming sentences • 3. Connective forms and negation • 4. Colors • 5. Recreation / In a taxi • 6. Family • 7. Around the house • 8. Using the telephone • 9. School • 10. Shopping • 11. Onomatopoeia 2단계: High beginner • 3: Low intermediate • 4단계: High intermediate • 5단계: Low advanced • 6단계: Advanced Grammar

Colors

As well as having two sets of numbers, Korean also uses two sets of colors, one being the native Korean set, the other being derived from Chinese characters hanja 한자 (漢字).

Native Korean set

Various like dozens of Korean words represent similar colors but express the different impression of colors. The following Korean words about color are the most neutral and normal words.

Korean colors may be followed by native word, 빛 or 빛깔, or followed by 색 (色) which is derived from Chinese characters. Each word means color.

	Name	Adjective	Translation	Notes
	빨강	빨간	red
	파랑	파란	blue
	보라색	보라색	purple
	초록(풀빛)	푸른	green	The adjectives for blue may be used with green. 풀빛 means grass-light.
	노랑	노란	yellow
	하양	하얀 or 흰	white
	검정	검은	black

Examples

• 빨간 입술 red lips
• 파란 하늘 blue sky
• 푸른 초원 green grassland
• 노란 병아리 yellow chick
• 흰 눈 white snow
• 검은 눈동자 black pupil

Chinese character set

	적 (赤), 홍 (紅)	red
	청 (靑)	blue
	녹 (綠)	green
	황 (黃)	yellow
	주황 (硃黃)	orange
	남 (藍)	navy
	자주 (紫硃)	purple
	회 (灰)	gray
	백 (白)	white
	흑 (黑)	black

• 백인 (白人) white person
• 흑인 (黑人) black person
• 흑백필름 (黑白 film) black & white film
• 적색신호 (赤色信號) red light signal
• 청바지(靑바지) blue jeans

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