Colour words in Nepali

Words for colours in Nepali and some colour-related expressions.

रङ्ग (raṅga) [rʌ̃ŋɡʌ] – colour, amusement, skin colour

कालो (kālo) [kälo] – black, dark. glum, sullen, a Black person

Expressions:

कालाबन्जार (kālābanjāra) – old-growth forest
कालीबोक्सी (kālīboksī) – bitch (pejorative, feminine)
कालीभीर (kālībhīra) – precipice, escarpment
कालीमाटी (kālīmāṭī) – black mud
कालीलहरो (kālīlaharo) – fodder
कालो चिया (kālo ciyā) [kälo t͡sijä] – black tea
कालो धन (kālo dhana) – black money
कालो कर्तुत (kālo kartuta) – deception
कालो कुकुर (kālo kukura) – bastard (pejorative, masculine)
कालो निलो (kālo nilo) – petrified
कालोपत्र (kālopatra) – asphalt
कालो बजार (kālo bajāra) – black market
कालो मसान (kālo masāna) – phantom, ghost
दालमा कालो हुनु (dālamā kālo hunu) – to sound fishy

सेतो (seto) [set̪o] – white, blank, eggwhite

White is associated with purity, cleanliness, peace and knowledge. The highest social caste, the Brahmin, is associated with white. A Hindu widow would wear a white dress in mourning.

Expressions:

सेतो आतङ्क (seto ātaṅka) – ethnic violence
सेतो भालु (seto bhālu) – polar bear
सेतो दुबो (seto dubo) – fern
सेतो दुभी (seto dubhī) – vitiligo

रातो (rāto) [rat̪o] – red, flushed

Red represents both significance and purity. It is the colour most frequently used for auspicious occasions like marriages, birth of a child, festivals and so on. A red coloured dress is put on deities who are charitable, brave and protective. The red colour on the Nepalese flag represents the bravery of the Gurkhas.

Shades and expressions:

रातो-रातो (rāto-rāto) – light red, pink
सिम्रिक (simrik) [sĩmrik] – crimson
गाढा रातो (gāḍhā rāto) [ɡäɽä ɾät̪o] – crimson
रातीगेडी (rātīgeḍī) – bankrupt
रातो टाटो (rāto ṭāṭo) – twilight
रातोपिरो (rātopiro) – robust, vigorous, healty, roseate
रातो मत्स्येन्द्रनाथ (rāto matsyendranātha) – Avalokiteśvara (bodhisattva of compassion)
रातो माटो – red mud
रातो मुख – red face, especially from embarrassment, anger, or shame

पहेँलो (pahẽlo) – yellow, yellowed, spoiled (vegetables)

Yellow is the colour of knowledge and learning. It is associated with happiness, peace, meditation, competence and mental development. It is also believed to ward off evil spirits.

Expressions:

पहेँलो घाम (pahẽlo ghāma) – dusk

हरियो (hariyo) [ɦʌɾijo] – green

Expressions:

कागती (kāgatī) [käɡʌt̪i] - lime (green)
गाढा हरियो (gāḍhā hariyo) [ɡäɽä ɦʌɾijo] - dark green
हरियोपरियो (hariyopariyo) – green vegetables

निलो (nilo) [nĩlo] – blue

Blue is associated with virility, bravery and determination, and also peace. The blue border of the Nepalese flag represents the peaceful nature of the Nepalese.

Shades and expressions:

अस्मानी (asmānī) [äsmä̃nĩ] – cyan
आकाशे (ākāśe) [äkäse] – cyan, sky blue
नीलबैजनी (nīlabaijanī) – periwinkle
कालो निलो (kālo nilo) – petrified
निलोत्पल (nilotpala) – Egyptian lotus
नीलकण्ठ (nīlakaṇṭha) – Shiva (one of the principal deities of Hinduism)
नीलगाई (nīlagāī) – Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus - a type of antelope)
नीलडाम (nīlaḍāma) – bruise
नीलमणि (nīlamaṇi) – blue sapphire

खैरो (khairo) – brown

Expressions:

खैरो पानी (khairo pānī) – alcohol

गुलाफी (gulāphī) [ɡuläbi] – pink

Expressions:

गुलाफी छेद (gulāphī cheda) – backbite

सुन्तले (suntale) – orange

खरानी (kharānī) – grey

Expressions:

खरानी दानी (kharānī dānī) – ashtray

बैजनी (baijanī) [bʌi̯d͡zʌ̃nĩ] – purple, violet, indigo, eggplant
जामुनी (jāmunī) [d͡zä̃mũnĩ] – purple, purplish

रजत (rajata) – silver

Expressions:

रजत जयन्ती (rajata jayantī) – silver jubilee

सुनौलो (sunaulo), स्वर्ण (svarṇa) – gold

Expressions:

स्वर्णकार (svarṇakāra) – goldsmith
स्वर्णकीट (svarṇakīṭa) – firefly
स्वर्णगिरि (svarṇagiri) – Sumeru Parbat (a mountain in northern India)
स्वर्ण जयन्ती (svarṇa jayantī) – golden jubilee
स्वर्ण दिवस (svarṇa divasa) – red-letter day
स्वर्णयुग (svarṇayuga) – golden age
स्वर्णाभ (svarṇābha) – golden glow

Other colours

मजेन्टा (majenṭā) [mʌ̃d͡zẽɳʈä] – magenta
नीलबैजनी (nīlabaijanī) – periwinkle

Details provided by Arnav Darnal

Hear some colour words in Nepali

Links

Information about Nepali colours
https://www.imnepal.com/name-colors-in-nepali-english/
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/कालो
http://polymath.org/nepali_colors.php https://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/schmidt/

Colour words in other languages

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