When you type the word "color" in the Google search box, you will definitely find a thousand links available for you. A thousand? Yes that's too many and for sure, you won't finish reading them all. But let's break it down to a more specific aspect: Color and Culture.
What comes to your mind when you see a yellow bus? How about a red signage on the street? How do you feel when you are wearing a pink shirt? Or even a blue blouse. Do you feel the same with all these things? You don't feel the same, do you?
The feelings and meanings we give to each color differs greatly on the place and culture where you were raced. Some may say that seeing a yellow bus may give them happiness, or some other people may say that they remember the death of a loved one. Though the color yellow is used to represent joy and cheerfulness, it may look sad and mournful on places like Burma and Egypt. Quite odd right? But there are still a lot of meanings for the color yellow. Here are some:
Cultural Meanings of Yellow
In the Western culture, the color yellow represents happiness, joy, hope, cowardice, caution, warning of hazards.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern culture, yellow shows the value of being sacred and imperial. In some places like China, the color yellow also shows royalty and honor. And for some, it is a masculine color. In India, yellow is the Symbol of a Merchant. While in Japan, yellow shows courage, beauty and refinement, aristocracy and cheerfulness.
In the Middle East, yellow represents happiness and prosperity, too.
On the other hand, the color yellow shows mourning for countries like the Burma and Egypt. In Greece and France, it stands for jealousy and sadness. Yes, it's really quite confusing to know what yellow stands for. Especially when you're on a country-hopping, it would be really hard for a tourist to know all these cultural beliefs. And to think, we are just on the color yellow! Let us know now something about the color red.
Cultural Meanings of Red
In the Western society, the color red represents energy, excitement, action, danger, love and passion. Red is also a warning to stop. Just like the red stoplight you see in the road. Anger is also represented by the color red. but even if this color shows more of a negative representation, this color also embodies some happy events like what the favorite event of all, the Christmas (combined with green), and the loveliest day of Valentine's Day. Red is the color of our heart, right? So I think that's where it came from!
Unlike the Western Society, the Eastern section uses the color red in positive things like prosperity, good fortune and joy. Would you believe that in some places, the gowns used by brides are red!?! Now that's odd. But for them, red is a symbol of joy. That may probably be the reason why they have red bridal gowns.
In China, red is their color of good luck and celebration. It also represents vitality, happiness, and long life. The Chinese also uses red as a wedding color and in many other festive occasions down to their funeral ceremonies. Very confusing, huh.
Cultural Meanings of Pink
Does wearing a pink shirt makes you feel more like a masculine or more like of a feminine? Well, I'll have it both ways. Naturally, pink is a color of femininity. But in some places like Belgium, pink is used for baby boys, too! Pink is said to symbolize love and romance, caring and nurturing, and is used for both male and female. Did you know that in Korea, pink symbolizes trust, too? How amazing! One definite color can represent a lot of meaning.
Cultural Meanings of Blue
Blue is generally the safest color to use worldwide. Why? Because blue has somewhat related meanings throughout the globe.
In the Western section, the color blue symbolizes trust and authority. It also shows the quality of being conservative, corporate, peaceful and calm. It also stands for immortality, heaven and spirituality. But on the other hand, blue also represents depression and sadness. Blue used to be a masculine color and of course, it is used for baby boys.
The colors presented above are just some of the infinite colors we have in the world. Yes, infinite because between all the colors we see are so many lines we cannot see with our naked eye. According to a statement: "Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there." I totally agree with this, especially when it comes to colors. Behind all the colors we see are nameless hues we cannot mention. Look around you, be observant and see how many colors can you name. Yellow, red, pink, blue, orange, green, brown, black... There are so many colors around the world. Try and you'll be amazed with yourself! :)
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