Visual Color Symbolism Chart by Culture

Color is an important part of any design, but if you make a poorly informed choice in colors, your design can say something different than you intend it to. At best, it will miss its mark; at worst, it can offend.

How colors are perceived depends a lot on a person's culture. The chart below can help give you a better sense of how the colors you choose are perceived by viewers in various cultures. Note that, in some cases, a given color is also associated with another “thing.” For example, a “white dove” in western cultures symbolizes peace. Likewise, a color combination creates the association, such as red and green symbolizing Christmas in the West. This information is noted below.

Color	Cultures and Meanings
Red	Australian Aboriginals: Land, Earth Celtic: Death, afterlife China: Good luck, celebration, summoning Cherokees: Success, triumph, the East Hebrew: Sacrifice, sin India: Purity South Africa: Mourning Russia: Bolsheviks and Communism Eastern: Worn by brides; happiness and prosperity Western: Excitement, danger, love, passion, stop, Christmas (with green), Valentine’s Day Astrology: Gemini Feng Shui: Yang, fire, good luck, money, respect, recognition, vitality Psychology: Stimulates brain wave activity, increases heart rate, increases blood pressure Roses: Love, respect; with yellow, gaiety, joviality Stained glass (Dante): Divine love, the Holy Spirit, courage, self-sacrifice, martyrdom

Color

Cultures and Meanings

Red

Australian Aboriginals: Land, Earth

Celtic: Death, afterlife

China: Good luck, celebration, summoning

Cherokees: Success, triumph, the East

Hebrew: Sacrifice, sin

India: Purity

South Africa: Mourning

Russia: Bolsheviks and Communism

Eastern: Worn by brides; happiness and prosperity

Western: Excitement, danger, love, passion, stop, Christmas (with green), Valentine’s Day

Astrology: Gemini

Feng Shui: Yang, fire, good luck, money, respect, recognition, vitality

Psychology: Stimulates brain wave activity, increases heart rate, increases blood pressure

Roses: Love, respect; with yellow, gaiety, joviality

Stained glass (Dante): Divine love, the Holy Spirit, courage, self-sacrifice, martyrdom

Pink	Korea: Trust Eastern: Marriage Western: Love, babies, (especially female), Valentine’s Day Feng Shui: Yin, love Psychology: Used as appetite suppressant and muscle relaxant; soothing Roses: Gratitude and appreciation (deep pink) or admiration and sympathy (light pink)
Orange	Ireland: Religious (Protestants) Netherlands: House of Orange Western: with black, Halloween; creativity, autumn Astrology: Sagittarius Feng Shui: Yang, Earth, conversation, purpose, organization Psychology: Energy, appetite stimulant Roses: Enthusiasm, desire
Gold	Eastern: Wealth, strength Western: Wealth Astrology: Leo Feng Shui: Yang, metal, God consciousness Stained glass (Dante): The sun, the goodness of God, treasure in heaven, spiritual achievement, the good life
Yellow	Apache: East, where the sun rises Cherokee: Trouble, strife China: Nourishing, royalty Egypt: Mourning India: Merchants Japan: Courage Navajo: Doko’oosliid — abalone shell mountain Eastern: Proof against evil, for the dead, sacred, imperial Western: Hope, hazards, coward, weakness, taxis Astrology: Taurus Feng Shui: Yang, Earth, auspicious, sunbeams, warmth, motion Psychology: Energizes, relieves depression, improves memory, stimulates appetite Roses: Sociability, friendship, joy, gladness; with yellow, gaiety, joviality Stained glass (Dante): The sun, the goodness of God, treasure in heaven, spiritual achievement, the good life
Green	Apache: South China: Exorcism; green hats imply a man’s wife is cheating on him India: Islam Ireland: Patriotism, Catholicism Islam: Perfect faith Japan: Life Eastern: Eternity, family, health, prosperity, peace Western: Spring, new birth, go, money, Saint Patrick’s Day, Christmas (with red) Astrology: Cancer (bright green) Feng Shui: Yin, wood, growing energy, nurturing, balancing, healing, health, calming Psychology: Soothing, relaxing mentally and physically; helps with depression, anxiety, and nervousness Stained glass (Dante): Hope, happiness, gaiety, springtime, youth, good humor, and fun; victory over ignorance
Blue	Cherokees: Defeat, trouble, the North China: Immortality Iran: Heaven, spirituality, mourning Navajo: Tsoodzil (turquoise mountain) Eastern: Wealth, self-cultivation Western: Depression, sadness, conservative, corporate, "something blue" bridal tradition Astrology: Capricorn and Aquarius (dark blue) Feng Shui: Yin, water, calm, love, healing, relaxing, peace, trust, adventure, exploration Psychology: Calming; lowers blood pressure, decreases respiration Stained glass (Dante): Wisdom of God, light of heaven, meditation, enduring loyalty, and eternity.
Powder/Baby Blue	Western: babies, especially males Astrology: Virgo
Purple	Thailand: Mourning, widows Eastern: Wealth Western: Royalty Astrology: Gemini, Sagittarius, and Pisces Feng Shui: Yin, spiritual awareness, physical and mental healing Stained glass (Dante): Justice, royalty, suffering, mystery; With white, humility and purity
Violet	Astrology: Virgo, Libra Psychology: Suppresses appetite; peaceful environment, good for migraines
White	Apache: North— source of snow Cherokee: Peace, happiness, the South China: Death, mourning India: Unhappiness Japan: White carnation symbolizes death Navajo: Tsisnaasjini’—dawn, white shell mountain Eastern: Funerals, helpful people, children, marriage, mourning, peace, travel Western: Brides, angels, good guys, hospitals, doctors, peace (white dove) Astrology: Aries, Pisces Feng Shui: Yang, metal, death, mourning, spirits, ghosts, poise, confidence Roses: Reverence, humility Stained glass (Dante): Serenity, peace, purity, joy, faith, innocence
Black	Apache: West, where the sun sets Australian Aboriginals: Color of the people Cherokee: Problems, death, the West China: Young boys Navajo: Dibé Nitsaa—obsidian mountain Thailand: Bad luck, unhappiness, evil Eastern: Career, evil, knowledge, mourning, penance Western: Funerals, death, Halloween (with orange), bad guys, rebellion Feng Shui: Yin, water, money, income, career success, emotional protection, power, stability, bruises, evil Psychology: self-confidence, strength, power
Gray	Eastern: Helpers, travel Western: Boring, dull, plain, sad Feng Shui: Yin, metal, dead, dull, indefinite
Silver	Western: Stylish, money Feng Shui: Yin, metal, trust, romance
Brown	Australian Aboriginals: The land Cherokee: Good Western: Wholesome, earthy, dependable, steadfast, health Astrology: Capricorn, Scorpio Feng Shui: Yang, Earth, industry, groundedness