Meet 紅 in words for rich red colours and everyday objects. Learn each reading with the word and its context.
The idea
紅 has 9 strokes; use the linked diagram for their order. Read 紅茶 as こうちゃ, 口紅 as くちべに and 紅色 as べにいろ. 紅葉 can be こうよう for autumn foliage or もみじ for a maple or its leaves.
Examples
- 毎朝紅茶を飲みます。I drink black tea every morning.
- 山の紅葉はきれいです。The autumn leaves in the mountains are beautiful.
- 庭に赤い紅葉の葉があります。There is a red maple leaf in the garden.
- 新しい口紅を買いました。I bought a new lipstick.
- 夕日で空が紅色になりました。The sky turned crimson at sunset.
- 今週末、紅葉を見に行きませんか。Shall we go and see the autumn foliage this weekend?
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No Japanese device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
紅茶 means black tea, not a tea named for its colour in English. 紅葉 has two readings: context and meaning help you choose. 赤 is a general red and does not replace 紅 in these spellings.
Try it yourself
Write the reading of 紅茶 in hiragana.
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こうちゃ
紅茶 is こうちゃ: it is the ordinary word for black tea.
Write the reading of 口紅 in hiragana.
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くちべに
口紅 is くちべに: the word means lipstick; learn べに within the whole compound.
Choose the missing kanji: ＿茶（こうちゃ）［紅／赤］.
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紅
紅 completes 紅茶, read こうちゃ. 赤茶 is a different word.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
Write the reading of 紅茶 in hiragana.
Write the reading of 口紅 in hiragana.
Choose the missing kanji: ＿茶（こうちゃ）［紅／赤］.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write 紅 following the diagram. Cover the readings, read 紅茶 and 口紅, then make a sentence about autumn foliage.