The above picture shows the colorfully painted eaves of a traditional Korean building. Koreans call this type of decoration 단청(丹靑), which literally means "red & blue." 단 means "red," and 청 means "blue." The name comes from the fact that red (which includes orange) and blue (which includes green) are the representative colors used in the painting.
By the way, 단 (丹) is not the only Chinese character that means "red." There are, at least, four others that represent different shades of red. Also, there are, at least, five Chinese characters for blue. Here is a list of the characters that mean "red," starting with the lightest red and progressing to the darkest.
Shades of Red in Chinese Characters
- 홍(紅) - pinkish red
- 적(赤) - red
- 단(丹) - red
- 주(朱) - vermilion; cinnabar
- 강(絳) - crimson
Shades of Blue (green) in Chinese Characters
- 청(靑) - dark blue
- 창(蒼) - azure (sky blue)
- 벽(碧) - greenish blue
- 록(綠) - (grassy) green
- 취(翠) - jade green
The Five Cardinal Colors in Korea (오색)
- 청(靑) - blue
- 적(赤) - red
- 황(黃) - yellow
- 백(백) - white
- 흑(黑) - black
Colors of the Rainbow
- red - 빨강색
- orange - 주황색
- yellow - 노랑색
- green - 초록색
- blue - 파랑색
- indigo - 남색
- violet - 보라색
Names of Colors (unfinished) *
- amber (pumpkin) - 호박색
- amethyst - 자수정빛
- apricot - 살구빛
- aqua (greenish blue) - 녹청색 (more green than blue)
- aquamarine (light aqua) - 연한 녹청색
- auburn (redish brown) - 고동색 (적갈색)
- azure (sky blue) - 하늘색
- baby blue - 연한 청색
- black - 흑색; 검은 색
- blue - 푸른색; 파랑; 청색
- blue-green (turquoise) - 청녹색 (more blue than green)
- brass (yellowish copper) - 황동색
- bronze - (bluish copper) - 청동색
- brown - 갈색
- Burgundy - 버건디색; 짙은 홍색
- cardinal red - 진홍색
- celadon - 청자색
- chestnut (maroon) - 밤색; 적갈색
- cinnabar - 주홍색
- cinnamon - 육계색
- copper - 동색; 구릿빛
- cream - 크림색
- crimson (ruby red) - 심홍색
- cyan - 시안색
- dark (deep) blue - 검푸르다; 암청색 (심청색)
- dark (deep) green - 암녹색 (심녹색)
- dark (deep) red - 검붉다; 암홍색; (심홍색)
- dark yellow - 검누렇다
- eggplant - 가지색
- emerald - 선녹색
- flax - 아마색
- flesh color - 피부색; 살빛
- gold - 금색; 황금색
- green - 녹색
- grey - 회색
- indigo (deep blue) - 남색
- ivory - 상아색 (아이보리)
- jade - 옥색
- khaki - 카키색 (황갈색)
- lavender - 라벤더색
- maroon (chestnut) - 밤색; 적갈색
- mauve - 담자색
- moss green - 이끼 녹색
- mustard - 겨자색
- navy blue - 감청색
- olive - 올리브색
- orange - 주황색; 오렌지색
- orchid - 연보랏빛; 난초색
- peach - 복숭앗빛
- pink - 분홍색
- platinum - 백금색
- pumpkin (amber) - 호박색
- purple - 자주빛
- rose - 장밋빛
- ruby red (crimson) - 심홍색; 홍옥색
- salmon - 연어 살빛
- sapphire - 청옥색; 사파이어색
- saffron - 사프란색 (농황색)
- silver - 은색; 은빛
- sky blue - 하늘색
- turquoise (blue-green) - 청녹색; 터키옥색
- violet - 보라빛; 제비꽃색
- white - 하얀색
- yellow - 노란색; 황색
