Korean Rainbow Colors and Phrases

Overview

This lesson introduces Korean vocabulary for colors using a rainbow caterpillar chant and explains how to say both the basic color names and "color" phrases.

Rainbow Colors in Korean

• The main rainbow colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, navy, and purple.
• The color chant helps with memorization: 빨, 주, 노, 초, 파, 남, 보 (syllables for each color).
• Full Korean color names: 빨간 (red), 주황 (orange), 노랑 (yellow), 초록 (green), 파랑 (blue), 남 (navy), 보라 (purple).

Saying "Color" in Korean

• To say "red color," add 색 (saek, meaning "color") after the color name.
• Red changes from 빨간 (ppalgan) to 빨간색 (ppalgan-saek) when saying "red color."
• Some colors do not change: 주황 (orange) becomes 주황색 (juhwang-saek) with "color."
• Blue (파랑) becomes 파란색 (paran-saek), yellow (노랑) becomes 노란색 (noran-saek).
• Navy (남) and purple (보라) both add 색 to form 남색 (nam-saek) and 보라색 (bora-saek).

Memorization Tips

• Use the chant to remember the order and pronunciation of the rainbow colors.
• "Pura" from "pura saek" means purple (as in "I purple you" from BTS).

Key Terms & Definitions

• 색 (saek) — means "color" in Korean
• 빨간 (ppalgan) — red
• 주황 (juhwang) — orange
• 노랑 (norang) — yellow
• 초록 (chorok) — green
• 파랑 (parang) — blue
• 남 (nam) — navy
• 보라 (bora) — purple

Action Items / Next Steps

• Practice the color chant to memorize the order and words.
• Write each color name with and without 색 ("color") for reinforcement.