Symbolical Meanings of Colors in Different Cultures
Colours of the Rainbow
One of the things I remember from three mandatory colour-theory courses from art school is that there are three primary colours and all the colours between them are secondary colours. Colours are all around us. The officially recognized colours are found from the spectrum. Primary colors are red, yellow and blue. Secondary colours are purple, orange, brown, green and all the shades between them. White and black are not official colors because they don´t exist in the spectrum. Yet we can find them in nature. Colour symbolism is very interesting, especially because in different cultures colours have different meanings.
Red
Element: Fire
Planet: Mars
Day of the week: Tuesday
Horoscope signs: Scorpio, Leo, Gemini and Aries
Red is often said to be the colour of life because blood is red. Red is colour of passion, fire and energy. In China red is the color of good luck, happiness and prosperity. Often Chinese bridal dresses are red. Relatives and friends give red envelopes for the wedding couple. These envelopes have money inside but it is not the money that counts. What counts is the number of envelopes which symbolizes fertility. Colour red is connected to warfare and aggressiveness. Red gives warning signs from the coming danger. Red is colour of sex, eroticism and passion. This is why from several cities you can find “street of the red lanterns”. War and love are often connected together. It is not a coincidence that the colour red is connected to both Cupid and the Christian devil. In politics colour red usually refers to nonconformist groups. Red is the color of love and connected to Valentine´s Day. Symbol of Valentine´s day is a red heart. In flower symbolism, the red rose represents everlasting passionate love.
Use of the colour red
Red is connected to courage and bravery. Could this be the reason why Gryffindor colours are red and gold in the Harry Potter books?
Colour red symbolizes confidence. If you want to get noticed wear red clothes with pride. It is often used in love magic and a women´s healing spells that are related to the menstrual cycle.
Red is one of the most sacred colours in India and it has many meanings. In India red symbolizes wealth, power, fire, purity, fertility, love, beauty and seduction. In South-Africa colour red symbolizes mourning and in China red is the colour of the new year and represents long life.
Yellow
Element: Fire
Planet: The Sun
Day of the week: Wednesday
Horoscope signs. Taurus, Gemini, Libra, Archer and Pisces
Yellow is connected to optimism, summer, sun, childhood, inner child and friendship. Bright yellow is the color of getting attention. Combination of yellow and black is often used in warning signs. Black and yellow is one of the easiest colour combinations to see long distances. This is why taxis and school buses are painted with yellow and black.
Very bright yellow with another stimulating colour like red can cause a great deal of stress for people. This is why many don´t feel good about staying long time periods in places that are painted with yellow and red. This kind of colour psychology is often used in fast-food restaurants. Colour stimulation invites clients in but because of the stimulation, clients won't spend that much time sitting inside the restaurant.
Yellow is connected to memory and intelligence. People who like yellow tend to have a good imagination. Yellow can also increase mental activity and stimulate the nervous system.
Use of the colour yellow
Yellow is the color of spring and Easter. Symbols of Easter like eggs, and small chickens are often yellow. Many spring and summer flowers are yellow like daffodils, sunflowers, dandelions and buttercups. Yellow symbolizes the sun and the time when the sun is closest to the earth. Yellow is spontaneous colour and it is often used in children´s products and marketing aimed at children. In Japan yellow is the color of bravery and courage. In India yellow is the color of merchants. In Egypt, both yellow and gold are colours connected to death. They were used to decorate the mummy sarcophagus and tombs before going to the afterlife. In Africa, the colour yellow is connected to people with wealth because it is the colour that is closest to gold. In folk-magic yellow was used in spells performed during the midsummer solstice. Colour yellow can attract new friendships and exciting events.
Blue
Element: Water, Air
Planet: Neptune, Jupiter, Mercury and Uranus
Day of the week: Friday
Horoscope signs (dark blue): Virgo, Taurus, Libra and Archer
Horoscope signs (light blue): Libra, Taurus, Archer, Aquarius and Pisces
Blue is calming and healing colour. Blue represents peace, tranquillity, inspiration, freedom, sensitivity and the dream world. Blue is the color of both sky and the sea and is connected to open spaces. Colour blue can have positive effects on our body and mind. It can cause the body to produce chemicals that are calming and reduce our stress level. There are different shades of blue. Indigo blue is connected to consciousness and is used to decorate meditative spaces. In folk magic, the colour blue was used to protect people from the evil eye.
In Greece, there was a custom to paint all doors and window frames blue to prevent evil spirits from entering
Once in a Blue Moon
English expression once in a blue moon refers to an event that is very rare. In folk magic term blue moon refers into a month when the moon is full twice and the second one is called the blue moon.
Color combination of black and blue is dynamic and can be found from the gym and sports clothes. Flags of Finland and Greece only have white and blue in them. In the Finnish flag, white symbolizes the sky and blue symbolises lakes. In Greece´s flag, white symbolizes the sky and the blue symbolizes the sea.
Blue can be a very strong colour. It is used to symbolize sincerity and heraldry. In many cultures, blue is an important color in religious rituals. Colour blue communicates trust and this is why police officers wear blue uniforms.
In Hinduism blue is the colour of Krishna. One of the most beloved Hindu gods who embodies love and happiness. In Judaism, blue is the color of holiness. In many Latin American countries, blue is the symbol of hope and purity and the colour of the Virgin Mary. In many Middle Eastern cultures, blue symbolizes heaven, spirituality and immortality. There are not many blue foods. Foods that are blue like blueberries are extremely vitamin-rich. Blue is a healing colour that can be used as the meditative colour for weight problems, self-care and self-love.
Green
Element: Earth
Planet: Earth
Day of the week: Saturday
Horoscope signs (dark green): Taurus, Aries, Crab, Libra, Capricorn and Aquarius
Horoscope signs (light green): Virgo and Pisces
Green is the dominant colour in the natural world. Green is connected to life, Gaia, earth, trees, health, happiness, summer, growth, fertility, safety, harmony, balance, jealousy, finances, money, wealth and banking.
Green is connected to motherhood, planet Venus and inner child. It is also told to be the favourite colour of fairies and pixies. Green is about growth and rebirth connected to seasons of spring and summer. The time when nature is coming alive again.
Green helps to control nervousness, depression and anxiety. This is why hospital interiors are often painted with light shades green and doctors wear green clothes. Green stands for safety and environmental friendliness. It is commonly used to promote nature-friendly products.
Green can have sinister meanings as well. Color combination of black and green has been often connected to evil witches. Green can also symbolize jealousy, misfortune and addiction. Green drink absinthe is known as the Green Fairy.
Use of colour green
Combination of green and red are often associated with Christmas. Red and green are also complementary colours and come out vibrant when used together.
Term “Green eyed-monster” refers to envy or a jealous person.
In many South-American cultures colour, green symbolizes death.
In China, men should not wear green hats. It means that their wives are cheating on them.
Colour green ifs perfect for self-care and grounding. The green colour is also fitting for money and prosperity spells.
Orange
Element: Fire
Planet: the Sun
Horoscope signs: Leo and Archer
Day of the week: Sunday
The colour orange is connected to the sun, flames, fire, passion, optimism, self-confidence and inspiration. In many western cultures, orange is considered to be wild and edgy colour. Orange is stimulating and vibrant. Combination of fiery red and more calming yellow. The colour orange can create a sensation of heat. It is warm and hot color. Combination of black and orange are the colors of Halloween. Colour orange itself is the colour or autumn and harvest and can be found from colour-changing leaves and pumpkins.
Orange is a popular colour in restaurants representing contentment, hunger and stimulation. Fruits that are orange often have vitamin C and vitamin A in them.
In Egypt orange is the colour of mourning and sadness.
In the Netherlands orange is the colour of the royal family.
In Japan and China, orange symbolizes love, courage and happiness. In India, the colour orange is the color of life and vitality.
Because orange is connected to harvest, autumn and seasons changing, colour orange can be used to represent different transformations.
Purple
Element: water, air
Planets: Neptune and Pluto
Horoscope signs: Crab, Aquarius, Libra and Gemini
Day of the week: Thursday
Purple is a magical colour that represents meditation and spirituality. Colour purple is often connected to nobility, royalty, power, luxury and ambition, material and possession. In the past purple die was extremely difficult to produce because it was extracted from sea snails. As a result purple and violet clothes were expensive and were only available for kings, queens and other rulers.
In many Catholic countries, the colour purple is connected to sadness and grieving. In Brazil, purple is only recommended to use in funerals. In the Lutheran church, purple is also the colour of mourning. Light purple or lavender represents womanhood, femininity and beauty. Light purple flowers such as orchids, lilacs and violets are considered to be gentle and delicate.
Because purple is a combination of both cool (blue) and warm (red) colours. It has both cool and warm properties. Color purple can inspire, boost up creativity and imagination. It can also be moody and melancholic.
Purple is a colour that rarely exists in nature. It is considered to have otherworldly meanings and is believed to be highly spiritual colour. The colour purple is excellent for those who wish excessive their third eye and for anyone who has difficulties to focus on one thing at a time.
Pink
Element: water
Planets: Venus and Neptune
Horoscope signs: Gemini, Libra and Virgo
In many western cultures colour pink is connected to love, romance, dreams, poets, femininity, caring and tenderness.
Compared to bright red, pink is vivid but it is calmer and represents harmony and balance. Pink is connected to childhood, friendship, innocence and kindness. Hot pink communicates playfulness while light pink communicates tenderness. Both red and pink are colours of love but when red symbolizes passionate love pink is the colour of charm, romance and flirting.
In Japan pink is gender-neutral colour and is worn by both men and women.
In Korea pink symbolizes trust.
It is believed that colour pink reduces violent behaviour and this is why many prison holding cells are painted with light shades of pink.
In folk magic pink was used to attract more love and friendship to one´s life It is also a colour that is relaxing and creates serenity and it can be used to reduce stress.
White
Element: Water, air
Planet(s): Moon and the Sun
Day of the week: Monday
Horoscope signs: Aries, Gemini, Crab, Pisces and Leo
Color white is associated with illumination, purity, virginity, softness, spirituality, heaven, love, humility, understanding, wisdom and goodness. Starting from the 19th century by Queen Victoria of England, white has been the popular color in wedding dresses. White wedding dress symbolizes purity and virginity.
White is often connected to sterility and cleanness. It is a very neutral colour that is not disturbing or extremely stimulating. This is why many hospitals have white interiors. Because snow is white, white is also connected to coolness. It is said to be the colour where all the other colours come from. Colours are born when a ray of light touches the spectrum.
In many Asian countries, white is the colour of dead and mourning. In China, funeral clothes are traditionally white.
In Finnish folklore white animals were believed to be omens of death. It was believed that death was peaceful and not to be feared. Only a gateway between the new and the past life.
In magical use, the colour white is widely used in rituals related to channelling, divination and fortune-telling. It can also be used in rituals connected to imagination and lucid dreams.
Black
Element(s): water, earth
Planet(s): Moon, Saturn and Pluto
Day of the week: Saturday
Horoscope signs: Scorpio, Aquarius and Capricorn
Colour black is connected to night time, mysticism, wisdom, soil, growth, death, hatred, sophistication, mysterious, magic and darkness. According to folklore in all parts of the world, the earth was born from darkness. The black colour is told to be a magnetic colour that holds all colours inside it. Soil and dirt are black yet all life grows from them. Black is the colour of both life and death.
In many western countries, black is the colour of mourning. During pre-Christian times it was believed that black colour hid the funeral folk from the fay folk and evil spirits. In the past black fabrics were expensive. It was not unheard of for women to get married wearing a black dress.
In western cultures black has been the color of misfortune and bad luck. This belief most likely started from people´s fear towards the night time and darkness. Black cats and black dogs were deliverers of bad news. Seeing a blackbird was considered as a bad omen.
In magical use colour black can be used in rituals where we are ready to let go of the past and welcome the new.
Brown
Element: earth
Planet: Saturn
Horoscope signs: Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio and Capricorn
Brown is the colour of the earth and it is very grounding colour. Colour brown symbolizes home, nature, safety, parenthood, wood, sand, dirt and harvest. It is connected to the seasons of Autumn and Winter. Brown is considered to be a very cosy colour creating feelings of relaxation.
Combined with green these two colours represent nature and anything earth-related. It is believed that the colour brown increases appetite and this is the reason why it is often used as a decorative colour in restaurants.
In magical use colour brown is connected to shape sifting and shamanism. Animals that have brown fur are common totem animals and represent wisdom and understanding. The most simple way for grounding is to go for a walk into the forest.
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