Vietnamese Colours — Complete Word List
Colour words in Vietnamese are mostly standalone adjectives, placed after the noun they describe — just like all Vietnamese adjectives. "A red flower" is "hoa đỏ" (flower red), not "đỏ hoa". Some colours have interesting cultural associations that go beyond the visual.
The Basic Colours
Vietnamese uses one word "xanh" for both blue and green — a fascinating feature of Vietnamese colour perception. Context (or a qualifier) distinguishes them: xanh lá (green, "leaf-coloured") and xanh lam (blue, "indigo-coloured") or xanh da trời (blue, "sky-coloured"). When someone says just "xanh," you often need context to know which they mean.
Describing Colours — Shades and Modifiers
Colours in Vietnamese Culture
Red (đỏ) is the colour of luck, celebration and the Vietnamese flag. Red envelopes (bao lì xì) given at Tết contain lucky money. Red is worn at weddings by the bride in traditional ceremonies.
White (trắng) is the colour of mourning in Vietnamese culture — the opposite of Western associations with purity and weddings. White headbands are worn at funerals. Giving white flowers to a healthy person can be considered bad luck.
Yellow (vàng) represents royalty, prosperity and Buddhism. The robes of Buddhist monks, the imperial palaces of Huế, and the yellow star on the Vietnamese flag all reflect the deep cultural significance of this colour.