色彩

しきさい

color

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"色彩" (しきさい) refers to color or coloration, often used in contexts involving art, design, and nature. It emphasizes the variety and quality of colors rather than just a single color.

Common Contexts

You will often see "色彩" used when describing paintings, natural scenes like autumn leaves, or the use of color in design and fashion. It conveys a sense of aesthetic richness.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 色彩が豊か (しきさいがゆたか): rich in color, used to describe vivid or diverse colors.
  • 色彩を加える (しきさいをくわえる): to add color, often in design or art.
  • 色彩感覚 (しきさいかんかく): sense of color, referring to color perception or taste.

Register and Nuance

"色彩" is a formal and literary term, more common in written language or formal speech than casual conversation. For everyday use, "色" (いろ) is more common.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "色彩" with "色". Remember, "色彩" often implies a broader or more artistic sense of color, while "色" is more general and casual.

Example Sentences

このえはあざやかなしきさいがとくちょうです。

This painting is characterized by vivid colors.

あきのこうようはしぜんのうつくしいしきさいをみせてくれます。

Autumn leaves show the beautiful colors of nature.

デザインにしきさいをくわえることでいんしょうがおおきくかわります。

Adding color to a design greatly changes its impression.