Color Meanings by Culture

Color Symbolism

cultural, age, class, gender...

By culture

Red

• China: Good luck, celebration, summoning
• Cherokees: Success, triumph
• India: Purity
• South Africa: Color of mourning
• Russia: Bolsheviks and Communism
• Eastern: Worn by brides
• Western: Excitement, danger, love, passion, stop, Christmas (with green)

Orange

• Ireland: Religious (Protestants)
• Western: Halloween (with black), creativity, autumn

Yellow

• China: Nourishing
• Egypt: Color of mourning
• Japan: Courage
• India: Merchants
• Western: Hope, hazards, coward

Green

• China: Green hats indicate a man's wife is cheating on him, exorcism
• India: Islam
• Ireland: Symbol of the entire country
• Western: Spring, new birth, go, Saint Patrick's Day, Christmas (with red)

Blue

• Cherokees: Defeat, trouble
• Iran: Color of heaven and spirituality
• Western: Depression, sadness, conservative, corporate, "something blue" bridal tradition

Purple

• Thailand: Color of mourning (widows)
• Western: Royalty

White

• Japan: White carnation symbolizes death
• Eastern: Funerals
• Western: Brides, angels, good guys, hospitals, doctors, peace (white dove)

Black

• China: Color for young boys
• Western: Funerals, death, Halloween (with orange), bad guys, rebellion

Color Meanings by Culture