Japanese aesthetics cherish 光と影 (ひかりとかげ) — the interplay of light and shadow. From the first glow of dawn to the long shadows of dusk, from vivid colors to the subtle wash of ink painting, Japanese has a rich set of kanji for describing every shade of brightness and color.
This article covers 20 kanji related to light, shadow, and color qualities — the vocabulary you need to talk about the visual world in Japanese.
Core Kanji Table
Light — Brightness & Illumination
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 光 | コウ (kō) | ひかり (hikari) | light | 光 (ひかり, light), 日光 (にっこう, sunlight) | The most basic "light" kanji |
| 明 | メイ (mei)・ミョウ (myō) | あか (aka)・あき (aki) | bright | 明るい (あかるい, bright), 説明 (せつめい, explanation) | 日 (sun) + 月 (moon) = bright |
| 輝 | キ (ki) | かがや (kagaya) | radiance, shine | 輝く (かがやく, to shine), 光輝 (こうき, radiance) | Stronger, more dazzling than 光 |
| 照 | ショウ (shō) | て (te)・てら (tera) | illuminate | 照らす (てらす, to shine on), 照明 (しょうめい, lighting) | 照明 = illumination |
| 映 | エイ (ei) | うつ (utsu)・は (ha) | reflect, project | 映る (うつる, to be reflected), 映画 (えいが, movie) | 映画 = movie (projected images) |
| 透 | トウ (tō) | す (su)・とお (tō) | transparent | 透明 (とうめい, transparent), 透ける (すける, to be see-through) | 透ける = you can see through it |
Shadow & Darkness — Shade, Weather & Dawn
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 暗 | アン (an) | くら (kura) | dark | 暗い (くらい, dark), 暗記 (あんき, memorization) | 暗記 = memorize (remember in the dark) |
| 影 | エイ (ei) | かげ (kage) | shadow, reflection | 影 (かげ, shadow), 影響 (えいきょう, influence) | Multiple meanings — see below |
| 陰 | イン (in) | かげ (kage) | shade, hidden | 陰 (かげ, shade), 陰気 (いんき, gloomy) | Same reading as 影 but different meaning |
| 陽 | ヨウ (yō) | ひ (hi) | sun, positive | 太陽 (たいよう, sun), 陽気 (ようき, cheerful) | Opposite of 陰 |
| 曇 | — | くも (kumo) | cloudy | 曇り (くもり, cloudy), 曇る (くもる, to cloud over) | 日 (sun) + 雲 (cloud) = overcast |
| 晴 | セイ (sei) | は (ha) | clear (weather) | 晴れ (はれ, clear weather), 晴天 (せいてん, fine day) | Opposite of 曇 |
| 暁 | ギョウ (gyō) | あかつき (akatsuki) | daybreak | 暁 (あかつき, dawn), 今暁 (こんぎょう, this dawn) | The faint light just before sunrise |
Color Qualities — Vivid, Deep & Subtle
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鮮 | セン (sen) | あざ (aza) | vivid, fresh | 鮮やか (あざやか, vivid), 新鮮 (しんせん, fresh) | Vivid colors AND fresh food |
| 濃 | ノウ (nō) | こ (ko) | thick, rich | 濃い (こい, thick/strong), 濃度 (のうど, concentration) | Rich color, strong coffee, dense fog |
| 淡 | タン (tan) | あわ (awa) | pale, light | 淡い (あわい, faint/pale), 淡水 (たんすい, fresh water) | Opposite of 濃 |
| 深 | シン (shin) | ふか (fuka) | deep | 深い (ふかい, deep), 深夜 (しんや, late night) | Deep color, deep water, deep meaning |
| 浅 | セン (sen) | あさ (asa) | shallow, light | 浅い (あさい, shallow), 浅草 (あさくさ, Asakusa) | 浅草 = famous Tokyo district! |
| 彩 | サイ (sai) | いろど (irodo) | color, hue | 彩り (いろどり, coloring), 色彩 (しきさい, color) | 色彩 = colors / color palette |
| 艶 | エン (en) | つや (tsuya) | gloss, luster | 艶 (つや, gloss), 艶やか (つややか, glossy/alluring) | Beauty with a luminous sheen |
陰 vs 陽 — Yin & Yang in Japanese
陰 and 陽 are not just abstract philosophy in Japanese — they show up in everyday language:
| Comparison | 陰 (いん / かげ) | 陽 (よう / ひ) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic meaning | shaded area, hidden side | sunlit area, open side |
| Personality | 陰気 (いんき) = gloomy | 陽気 (ようき) = cheerful |
| Weather | 陰る (かげる) = to become overcast | 太陽 (たいよう) = the sun |
| Cultural sense | hidden, still, passive | visible, active, outward |
陰陽師 (おんみょうじ) were court officials in ancient Japan who practiced divination, astronomy, and calendar-making. The most famous is Abe no Seimei (安倍晴明), who remains a pop-culture icon in anime, movies, and games to this day.
- 陰陽道 (おんみょうどう) = Japan's unique system blending yin-yang and five-element philosophy
- 陰陽 can be read either おんみょう or いんよう — both are common
影 — One Kanji, Three Meanings
影 (かげ) is a fascinating kanji because it carries three distinct meanings:
| Meaning | Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Shadow | 影が伸びる (かげがのびる) | A shadow stretches on the ground |
| Silhouette | 人影 (ひとかげ) | The outline of a person |
| Reflection | 水面に影が映る (すいめんにかげがうつる) | An image reflected on water |
Pay attention to the difference between 影 and 陰:
- 影 (かげ) = the shape cast by light (shadow as a form)
- 陰 (かげ) = the area where light doesn't reach (shade as a zone)
Example: 木の影が地面に落ちる (a tree's shadow falls on the ground) vs. 木の陰で休む (resting in the shade of a tree).
Practice
Q1. What two components make up 明, and why?
Show answer
日 (sun) + 月 (moon) = 明 (bright). The two brightest objects in the sky combine to mean "brightness."
Q2. Both 影 and 陰 are read かげ. What is the difference?
Show answer
影 = the shape created by light (a shadow on the ground, a reflection in water). 陰 = the area where light is blocked (shade under a tree). 影 emphasizes "form," while 陰 emphasizes "darkness."
Q3. What does 映画 mean, and why does it use the kanji 映?
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映画 = movie. 映 means "to project/reflect" and 画 means "picture." A movie is pictures projected (映す) onto a screen.
Q4. 濃い and 淡い are opposites. Give an example of each.
Show answer
They are antonyms. 濃い = thick/rich (濃いコーヒー = strong coffee), 淡い = faint/pale (淡い色 = pale color). Both can describe colors, flavors, and concentrations.
Q5. What time of day does 暁 (あかつき) refer to?
Show answer
Daybreak — the faint glow in the sky just before sunrise. It is earlier than 朝 (morning). The phrase 春眠暁を覚えず ("in spring sleep, one doesn't notice the dawn") comes from a Chinese poem and is well known in Japan too.
Summary
- 光, 明, 輝, 照, 映, 透 — from basic "light" to transparency and projection, a clear progression
- 暗, 影, 陰, 曇 — each shadow-and-darkness kanji has its own nuance
- 陰 and 陽 are not just philosophy — they appear in everyday words (陰気 vs 陽気)
- 影 carries three meanings: shadow, silhouette, and reflection — don't confuse it with 陰
- 鮮, 濃, 淡, 深, 浅, 彩, 艶 — a full palette for describing how colors look and feel
- This wraps up the colors series! You now have the core kanji for describing the visual world in Japanese