How many words are in this list?

This page gives 100 Japanese words on “Colours, shapes and materials”. The full topic holds 159 in the KoKo app: 63 at the easy level, 56 at the medium level and 40 at the hard level.

Which words should I start with?

With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.

How can I remember this Japanese vocabulary?

By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.

Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?

Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.

Japanese vocabulary: colours and shapes

Red, blue, round, square, wooden, metal: colours, shapes and materials in Japanese for describing an object.

Here are 100 Japanese words on “Colours, shapes and materials”, translated into English and sorted from easiest to hardest.

Level 1: easy 40 words

Japanese	English
角度	angleFigure formed by two intersecting lines, in geometry
アーチ	arch
黒	black
青	blue
鮮やか	bright
青銅	bronze
えび茶色	burgundy
厚紙	cardboard
中心	centre
色	colour
コンクリート	concrete
コルク	cork
木綿	cotton
十字	cross
縁	edge
壊れやすい	fragile
ガラス	glass
鉄	iron
象牙色	ivory
鉛	lead
革	leather
薄い色の	light
線	line
素材	material
つや消し	mattWithout shine
紺色	navy blue
だいだい色	orange
平行	parallel
無地	plain
赤	red
辺	side
銀	silverThe metal
頑丈	solid
球	sphere
鋼鉄	steel
石	stone
わら	straw
先端	tip
白	white
黄色	yellow

Level 2: medium 35 words

Japanese	English
合金	alloy
竹	bamboo
れんが	brick
茶色	brown
陶磁器	ceramic
色とりどり	colourful
深紅	crimson
円柱	cylinder
密	dense
対角線	diagonal
細長い	elongated
しなやか	flexible
グラデーション	gradient
花崗岩	granite
六角形	hexagon
中空	hollow
輪郭	outline
楕円形	oval
淡い	pale
磁器	porcelain
紫	purple
角錐	pyramid
長方形	rectangle
樹脂	resin
ゴム	rubber
さび	rust
色合い	shade
銀色	silverThe colour
スレート	slate
らせん	spiral
伸縮性のある	stretchy
色調	tint
透明	transparent
三角形	triangle
亜鉛	zinc

Level 3: hard 25 words

Japanese	English
吸収性の	absorbent
角張った	angular
まだらの	dappled
丸く膨らんだ	domed
くすんだ	dull
色あせた	faded
フェルト	felt
平たい	flattened
蛍光の	fluorescent
カーキ色	khaki
展性のある	malleable
ナイロン	nylon
パステル調	pastel
発泡スチロール	polystyrene
多孔質の	porous
リサイクル可能な	recyclable
緋色	scarlet
きらめく	shimmering
斑点のある	speckled
さびない	stainless
チタン	titanium
ねじれた	twisted
二色の	two tone
防水の	waterproof
柳細工	wicker

Mini quiz

5 words from this page, picked at random. Find their translation.

Frequently asked questions

How many words are in this list?: This page gives 100 Japanese words on “Colours, shapes and materials”. The full topic holds 159 in the KoKo app: 63 at the easy level, 56 at the medium level and 40 at the hard level.
Which words should I start with?: With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.
How can I remember this Japanese vocabulary?: By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.
Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?: Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.