Colors in Vietnamese: All the Color Words (+ Flashcards)
Learn colors in Vietnamese, đỏ (red), xanh (blue/green), vàng (yellow), plus the quirk where one word covers both blue and green.
Quick answer
Colors use màu + color: màu đỏ (red), màu vàng (yellow), màu đen (black), màu trắng (white). A fun quirk: xanh covers both blue and green, say xanh dương for blue and xanh lá for green when you need to be specific.
Colors are a quick, satisfying vocabulary win, and Vietnamese has one charming surprise that English doesn't.
Color words
| Color | Vietnamese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| red | đỏ | daw |
| orange | cam | kam |
| yellow | vàng | vahng |
| green | xanh lá | sanh la |
| blue | xanh dương | sanh zuong |
| purple | tím | teem |
| pink | hồng | hohng |
| brown | nâu | noh |
| black | đen | den |
| white | trắng | chang |
| grey | xám | sahm |
| silver | bạc | bak |
| gold | vàng kim | vahng kim |
To name a color, add màu ("color") in front: màu đỏ = "the color red."
The blue/green quirk (xanh)
Here's the memorable part: Vietnamese traditionally uses one word, xanh, for both blue and green. Context usually makes it clear, but to be specific:
- xanh dương, blue ("ocean blue")
- xanh lá (cây), green ("leaf green")
It's a great reminder that languages carve up the world differently.
Using colors in a sentence
Remember from Vietnamese sentence structure that adjectives follow the noun:
- áo đỏ, "shirt red" (a red shirt)
- xe màu xanh, "car color blue/green"
Light & dark shades
Add đậm (dark) or nhạt (light) after the color:
- xanh đậm, dark blue/green
- đỏ nhạt, light red (pinkish)
Pair these with basic phrases when shopping or describing things.
Sources
- Vietnamese color vocabulary verified against standard references (Wiktionary) for spelling and meaning, including the xanh (blue/green) distinction with xanh dương and xanh lá.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say colors in Vietnamese?
Use 'màu' plus the color: màu đỏ (red), màu vàng (yellow), màu đen (black), màu trắng (white), màu xanh (blue/green). 'Màu' means 'color.'
What is red in Vietnamese?
Red is 'đỏ' (daw), or 'màu đỏ' with the word for color. It's a culturally important color in Vietnam, associated with luck and the national flag.
Why is blue and green the same word in Vietnamese?
The word 'xanh' covers both. To specify, you add a word: 'xanh dương' (blue, literally 'ocean blue') and 'xanh lá' or 'xanh lá cây' (green, 'leaf green').
How do you say 'color' in Vietnamese?
'Màu' means color. You place it before the color word, as in 'màu đỏ' (the color red).