Japanese Color Space

## Introduction

Roronoa stayed with Hawk-eye in Kuraigana Island for two years.

What did he practice in Kuraigana Island?

What did he learn from Hawk-eye?

What did he get in two years?

One of the hints is shown in the name of the Island.

"kurai(くら-い)" in "Kurai-gana" is an important i-adjective word on Color Space in Japanese.

## Four basic colors in Japanese

Japanese language has only four colors as i-adjective word, red(あかい:[Aka-i]), blue(あおい[Ao-i]), black(くろい[Kuro-i]), white(しろい[Shiro-i]).

Why four?

Just because four is necessary and enough to make the coordinates of colors, 2 \* 2 contrast poles.

## Two basic contrast lines

The 2 lines make 2 basic contrast, (I):Luminous Intensity and (F):Luminous Flux.

***(I):Luminous Intensity***

> **Aka-i**(*Red*)
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>
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    **Ao-i** <---+---> **Shiro-i** ***(F):Luminous Flux***
  (*Blue*)     |     (*White*)

> **Kuro-i**(*Black*)
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>

### **(I) Aka-i <-> Kuro-i (Red <-> Black) : Luminous Intensity (cd)**

It is a measure of the power emitted by a source of light. a matter of sender.

### **(F) Ao-i <-> Shiro-i (Blue <-> White): Luminous Flux (cd sr)**

It is a measure of the perceived power of light. a matter of receiver.

Only these 4 i-adjective words can be 2-moras reduplication to-adverb, as if they are onomatopoeia.

> 赤(あか)い-> 赤々**(あかあか)と**、火が燃える: Fire burns "**Red-Red-ly**".
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> [Aka-i] -> [**Aka-Aka to**]
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> 黒(くろ)い-> 黒々**(くろぐろ)と**、毛が生える: Hair grows "**Black-Black-ly**".
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> [Kuro-i] -> [**Kuro-Guro to**]
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> 青(あお)い-> 青々**(あおあお)と**、海が広がる: The sea is wide "**Blue-Blue-ly**".
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> [Ao-i] -> [**Ao-Ao to**]
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> 白(しろ)い-> 白々**(しらじら)と**、夜が明ける. Day breaks "**White-White-ly**".
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> [Shiro-i] -> [**Shira-Jira to**]
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They are basic and primitive.
In One Piece;

> 赤(あか)い[Aka-i]:Red is Sakazuki the Aka-inu(Red Dog) as Eruption of Volcano.
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> 黒(くろ)い[Kuro-i]:Black is Teach the Kuro-hige(Black-beard) as Black Hole.
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> 青(あお)い[Ao-i] is Kuzan the Ao-Kiji(Blue Pheasant) as Freezing.
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> 白(しろ)い[Shiro-i](White) is Newgate the Shiro-hige(White-beard) as Vibration of the sea, Tsu-nami.
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## (I) あかい[Aka-i] <-> くろい[Kuro-i] (Red <-> Black)

### **This contrast is usually sunrise/sunset, day/night.**

#### **あかい[Aka-i] is あける[Ak-e-ru]**

あかい[Aka-i] is あける[Ak-e-ru] = **あ**(明)ける = sunrise. It get the "Ak".

#### **くろい[Kuro-i] is くれる[Kur-e-ru]**

くろい[Kuro-i] is くれる[Kur-e-ru] = **く**(暮/昏/暝)れる = sunset. It get the "Kur".

Their Kanji words have 日(ひ/ニチ)[Hi/Nichi]:sun, day, daytime, in their forms.

> \*:"e-ru(える)" is get something, turn into.
>
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#### **あかい[Aka-i] is also あかる[Ak-a-ru].**

 = **あ**(明)かる = brighten, become bright.

 = **あか**(赤)る = become red.

> \*:"a-ru(ある)" is be, become.
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あかるい[Ak-aru-i] = **あか**(明)るい = bright.

#### **あかい[Ak-a-i] = あか(赤)い = red.**

It is energy of burning fire or erupting volcano. The sun itself is not red, but golden brilliant yellow in old Japan. This is later in the **Hue** area.

In Japanese, "baby" is 赤子(あかご)[Aka-go], 赤(あか)ん坊(ぼう)[Aka-n-bou] or "赤(あか)ちゃん[Aka-chan]", literally, red child or "red-die".

坊[Bou] is originally, place, city, house, room, and temple. In Japanese it means a monk, boy, little child.

The birth of "red-die" is lucky/happy. Red-die is full of energy with a red face while crying.

"**あか**[Aka]:red" has many Kanji words, 赤/朱/丹/緋/紅/赫/猩.

紅[Kou]:red is the center circle of Japanese flag. It is the contrast to 白[Haku]:white. This is later in the **Saturation/Chroma** area.

### **This contrast also means scatter/gather**

あかる[Ak-a-ru] has another meaning, with another grammatical changing form,

**あか**(別/離)る: scatter, disband, part from, separate from.

This antonym is **つど**(集)ふ[Tsudo-fu]:(people) gather, get together.

The members of Straw Hat Party often あか(別/離)る from their mother ship, but つど(集)ふ again and again there. It is one of motifs of One Piece, as if they are a burning fire, a loud crying Red-die.

#### **くろい[Kuro-i] = 黒(くろ)い = black.**

It means collectivity of unlit dots, like ants, or people with dark hear around a fire, or full head of dark hair.

cf.黒山(くろやま)の[Kuro-Yama no] 人集(ひとだか)り[Hito-Daka-ri]: a dense crowd.

This is the people watching the top war on the monitor.

"**くろ**[Kuro]:black" is sometimes written with 玄(くろ/ゲン[Gen]).

It came from Chinese thoughts of 五行(ごぎょう[Go-Gyou]:Wǔ Xíng, Five Phases). Japanese Color Space is mixture of Chinese thoughts, remarkably 五行.

##### **五行(Wǔ Xíng; Five Phases, the Five Movements, etc)**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu\_Xing

It is conceptual scheme of cosmic cycles, the five types of chi/Qi(気) dominating at different times.

The "Five Phases" are Wood (木 mù), Fire (火 huǒ), Earth (土 tǔ), Metal (金 jīn), and Water (水 shuǐ).

Each has own symbolic color. Wood is blue. Fire is red. Earth is yellow. Metal is white. Water is black.

**Generating cycles 相生（そうせい[SouSei]):**

> Wood => Fire => Earth => Metal => Water => Wood...
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**Overcoming 相剋（そうこく[SouKoku]):**

> Wood stands on Earth,
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> Fire melts down Metal,
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> Earth suck in Water,
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> Metal cut down Wood,
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> Water put out Fire.
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cf. ジャンケン[JanKen]; the game of "paper, stone and scissors"

cf. 三つ巴(みつどもえ)[Mitsu-Domoe]; literally, 3 fat-comma shapes arranged to form a circle; triangular struggle;

#### **くろい[Kuro-i] = くらい[Kura-i]:dark**

= くらむ[Kur-a-mu]:be dizzy

> \*浴(あ)む[A-mu]:bathe, be bathed.
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There are many Kanji words for くらい[Kura-i], more than 30 in the dictionary.

The typical ones related with the above are following;

The Kanji words for くらい[Kura-i] with 日;

・暗[An]:dark without light, covertly, furtively, fool, memorize

・冥[Mei]:dark without light, fool, next world after death, power of divinity. 冥 is for Rayleagh the Dark King.

The Kanji words for くらい[Kura-i] with 音(おと[Oto]/オン[On]):sound;

・暗/闇[An]:dark without light, covertly, furtively, fool. 闇 is for Teach the Black Beard.

They are also read with "やみ".

Rayleagh and Teach are on the same contrast line, and at the dark side.

The Kanji words for くらむ[Kur-a-mu] with 日;

・昏[Kon]:be dizzy, fool

・暈[Un]:aureole, be dizzy

The Kanji word くらむ[Kur-a-mu] with 目(め/モク)[Me/Moku]:eye;

・眩[Gen]:whirl of the brain, be at a loss, fool

### **This contrast also means fortune.**

Fortune is 吉凶(きっきょう)[KikKyou].

red=吉[Kichi]:lucky, happy <-> black=凶[Kyou]:unlucky, unhappy.

めでたし[Medeta-shi] is lucky, happy. ゆゆし[Yuyu-shi] is unlucky, unhappy.

It sometimes called 明暗[MeiAn]:bright and dark sides of destiny, fate, lot; good luck or bad luck.

## (F) あおい[Ao-i] <-> しろい[Shiro-i] (Blue <-> White)

### **This contrast usually means sea, as scenery**

あおい[Ao-i] in old Japanese is あをい[Awo-i], with "w".

The contrast of あをい[Awo-i] <-> しろい[Shiro-i] (Blue <-> White) means sea, as scenery.

#### **しほ(潮/汐)[Shiho] is sea water**

**しほ**(潮/汐)[Shiho] is sea water, a sea tide, a tidal current, tidal stream, the extent of the ebb and flow of a sea tide; chance, good timing.

#### **しほ(塩)[Shiho] is salt**

**しほ**(塩)[Shiho] is salt, on the dry algae from the sea.

In old Japan, they watered on the algae with sea water over and dried them. Then they burnt and dissolved them into water and boiled down. They were not familiar with mining rock salt. Japanese islands have deeply indented coastline. Gathering algae with hands is easier to get salt than mining with tools, I suppose.

#### **白:white is also snow of Mount Fuji**

白:white is also snow on the mountain in the winter, or perpetual snow of the holy active volcano, Mt. Fuji.

##### **富士:Mount Fuji**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount\_Fuji

> 天地之分時從神左備手高貴寸
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> 駿河有布士能高嶺乎天原振放見者
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> 度日之陰毛隠比照月乃光毛不見
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> 白雲母伊去波伐加利時自久曽雪者落家留
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> 語告**言継**將往不盡能高嶺者
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> -- 『萬葉集』巻三の三一七
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I cannot sing this long poem composed by 山部赤人[Yamabe no Akahito], a famous poet in early Nara period of 8th century. The meaning is;

> *Since the heaven and the earth were divided,*
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> *divine noble great high peak of Mount Fuji,*
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> *are standing on Suruga, the fast-flying river.*
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> *When we are looking up it in the heavenly sky,*
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> *the sun coming across in the sky will hide,*
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> *the moon shining at the night will disappear,*
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> *the white clouds hesitate to go through,*
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> *the snow always falls to lie thick on the top.*
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> *We shall tell it from generation to generation,*
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> *the great high peak of Mount Fuji, the infinity.*
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This long poem has its summary short poem.

> 田子(たご)の浦(うら)ゆ　うち出(い)でて見(み)れば　真白(ましろ)にぞ
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> Tago no Ura yu / Uchi Ide-te Mire-ba / Ma-shiro ni zo
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> 富士(ふじ)の高嶺(たかね)に　雪(ゆき)は降(ふ)りける
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> Fuji no Taka-ne ni / Yuki ha Furi keru
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> *Approaching the shores of the Tago-no-ura,*
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> *I look to the horizon to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji,*
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> *swathed in mystical white.*
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> *Snow keeps falling at its glorious summit.*
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https://www.shigureden.or.jp/about/database\_03.html?id=4

Mt.Fuji was drawn in the old Waka poetry in 万葉集(まんようしゅう[ManYouShuu]) with very white noble snow, without other characteristic colors, as if it is a divinity of pure white, constancy and infinity.

##### **万葉集[ManYouShuu]**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%27y%C5%8Dsh%C5%AB

literally "Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves". The poetic collection of countless various words from 7th to 8th century.

In later years, Mount Fuji will be drawn as Red Fuji of happiness, composed with four basic colors, red top and black bottom of the mountain, and white clouds in the blue sky.

##### **凱風快晴[Gaifū kaisei]:South Wind, Clear Sky, by 葛飾北斎**

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red\_Fuji\_southern\_wind\_clear\_morning.jpg

##### **葛飾北斎'*[Katsushika Hokusai]'***

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokusai

a Japanese artist, ukiyo-e painter and print-maker of the Edo period.

#### **あを[Awo] is not clear color**

**あを**[Awo] is not clear color like salty white. But it could give them white salt.

cf. あわ(泡/沫)[Awa] is bubble, foam, froth.

My idea of this color coordinates comes from the simple vowel words in old Japanese. I feel that "あを[Awo]" is a primitive word of triple vowel series, for natural color around the people, sky, sea, plants, mountain, and so on.

The Kanji words for "あを[Awo]:blue/green" are 青/蒼/碧/葱/滄.

> 青丹(あをに)よし　奈良(なら)の都(みやこ)は　咲(さ)く花(はな)の
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> Awo-ni Yoshi / Nara no Miyako ha / Sa-ku Hana no
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> 匂(にほ)ふがごとく　今(いま)盛(さか)りなり
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> Niho-fu ga gotoku / Ima Sakari-nari
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> - 万葉集　三二八
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> *The capital Nara adorned with verditer green and blue,*
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> *is flourishing now as if fragrant flowers blossom brilliantly.*
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### **This contrast also means clean/dirty, pure/impure, refined/unrefined**

In daily words, this contrast is 清濁[SeiDaku] like 清酒(セイシュ[SeiShyu]：refined Sake, transparent) and 濁り酒(にごりざけ[Nigori-Zake]:unrefined sake, not transparent, usually white). In Buddhism term, it is 浄染[JouSen]. "濁り酒" and "浄染" are Zoro's special skills.

清濁浄染, they all have a part of "氵(water)" .

清[Sei]:pure, clean, transparent, not dirty, innocent, purify, cleaning is composed with water(氵) and blue(青).

濁[Daku]:impure, muddy, cloudy.

浄[Jou]:pure, clean, transparent, not dirty, innocent, purify, cleaning.

染[Sen]:dye, to be dyed, influence, to be influenced. This word is interesting. It has own meaning as Japanese, read with "しむ[Shi-mu]/そむ[So-mu]". And しむ[Shi-m-u] makes a important mimetic word of しみじみ[Shi-m-i-Ji-m-i]. Only kana mora sounds of しむ[Shi-m-u] without Kanji word, has a function as an auxiliary verb like let or make. Besides, this mora sounds as a suffix generate many verbs, such as をしむ、うつくしむ、うれしむ、いましむ. But let's skip it, now. I'll try to think about it later, in the 奥行 area, with a mimetic word of しみじみ and a poetry of あはれ.

Anyway, Japanese like keeping their belongings clean, pure, refined in their daily life. Buddhists like keeping their sensations and mind clean, pure, refined in their training or meditation. Then Japanese Zen practice appeared, such as cleaning, dusting, sweeping, mopping, their neat 坊 seriously and earnestly.

This idea is applied to the education in the school, and the students have to clean up their school by themselves, before lessons in the morning, after lunch at noon, after school in the afternoon, before opening pool at the summer, before/after long vacations, and so on. I only remember cleaning in my school-hood... Usually, mischievous boys start sword play with brooms or mops. And a teacher like Nami sometimes hits them, or a teacher like O-tsuru sometimes washes them. Maybe I was sleeping during the lessons like Zoro. So I have a lot of home-works and have to study hard at this age...

### **This contrast also means performance of sensing**

This contrast also means performance of sensing, seeing with eyes like a lens of camera. We see somehow green light/shadow on our own eyes, after we happen to see the strong light.

#### **しろい[Shiro-i] is しる[Sh-i-ru]**

しろい[Shiro-i] in this contrast is しる[Sh-i-ru] = 知(し)る = sense, know, known, and rule. It is clearness, without cover.

> \*:"i-ru(いる)" = be (about something/one people can sense its life)
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#### **あをい[Awo-i] is おほふ(O-h-o-fu)**

あをい[Awo-i] in this contrast is おほふ(O-h-o-fu) = 被/覆(おほ)ふ = cover, hide. It is vagueness, with cover.

> \*:"o-fu(おふ)"
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> = 生ふ = born, grow.
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> = 覆ふ = cover, wrap.
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> = 負ふ = get, have, receive, carry something on one's back.
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> = 追ふ = follow, chase.
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Mihawk often changes this contrast on his eyes. Sometimes no shade, half shade on face only, full shade on his eyes, and so on. Or, he closes his eye(s) even while speaking. I guess he feels dizzy with his own triple circle red eyes... poor Mihawk.

The Kanji words for "しろ[Shiro](white)" is 白[Haku] or 素[So].

素[So/Su] is raw silk, plane string without dyeing, basic, original, beginning, usual, poor, simple, plane. This idea is contrast to 玄[Gen]:black. This is later in the **Value/Brightness** area.

白[Haku] has meaning of say, tell, speak, clear, disclose, discover, reveal.

#### **しる[Sh-i-ru] = しるす[Sh-i-ru-s-u] = しるし[Sh-i-ru-s-i].**

> \*:"s" in "su(す)" is to do. "s-u(す)" is do. "s-i(し)" is done.
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The Kanji words for しる[Sh-i-ru];

・知[Chi]:know, sense, recognize, feel, understand, tell, let to know, rule

・察[Satsu]:clear, in detail, see, watch, observe, know, research, distinguish, guess, suppose, imagine

・識[Shiki]:know, distinguish, recognize, learn, realize, perceive, sense, seeing, thinking, mark, note, record, letters inscribed on the copperware. 識 is also used for しるす[Sh-i-ru-s-u].

By the way, しる[Sh-i-ru] has another meaning with another grammatical changing forms,

・痴[Chi]:go senile, get dim, get dull, fade, unclear, out of focus, fool.

The Kanji words for しるす[Sh-i-ru-s-u] with 言(いう[I-u]/こと(ば)[Koto(ba)]/ゲン[Gen]):say, speak, language:

・記[Ki]:remember, mark, note, write.

・誌[Shi]:mark, note, record.

・譜[Fu]:list, sort, order, note of music.

The Kanji words for しるす[Sh-i-ru-s-u] with other media;

・印[In]:sign, mark, symbol, impression

・志[Shi]:memorize, remember, write, intend, set one's mind, aim.

・紀[Ki]:rule, order, note, write, record, reason, logic, thread, years.

・標[Hyou]:mark, indicate, raise something to show.

・銘[Mei]:mark, note, inscribe, name of creater.

・徴[Chou]:call, ask, request, clame, mark, evidence, sign, indication, appear, show, become clear.

Marks were inscribed on the various media. One of the media is trees.

The mark of snapping off a twig with a hand is 枝折り(しをり)[Shi-wor-i]. It turned into bookmark, and one of the essential idea of short poetry, remarkably 俳句(はいく)[Hai-ku]. Light 5-7-5 moras 俳句 is like a snapshot or bookmark of nature, Hashtag, Twitter and Instagram, today.

#### **しる[Sh-i-ru] <-> おもふ[O-m-o-fu]**

おもふ is feel, think, worry, recollect, miss, long for, wish, hope, imagine, guess, suppose

They are concerned about something unknown, uncertain, unclear, undefined, indistinct, obscure, vague, doubtful, suspicious, dark.

#### **The opposite of clearness is vagueness, おほふ[O-h-o-fu].**

There are many Kanji words for おほふ(O-h-o-fu), more than 20 in the dictionary.

・被[Hi]:cover, put on, wear, get, have, take on, with, bed clothes.

・冒[Bou]:cover, cap, put on, risk, venture, devour, envy.

・盍[Kou]:cover, lid, gather.

・蓋[Kou]:cover, lid, hide, shade, cap, hat.

・蔭[In]:cover, shade, in the shade of a tree, grow thick, protect, help, thanks.

・覆[Fu]:cover, hide, wrap, ambush.

・幎[Beki]:cover, hide, cloth to cover.

・冪[Beki]:cover, hide, cloth to cover, repeat, repeated multiplication, power.

・**蒙[Mou](くらい)**:cover, hide, put on, wear, get, have, take on, risk, dark, fool

・**蔽[Hei](くらい)**:cover, hide, wrap, fix, decide, judge, dark, fool

・**曖[Ai](くらい)**:cover, hide, screen, shade, vague, not clear, dark.

**蒙/蔽/曖** also mean くらい[Kurai]:dark.

くらい[Kura-i] is part of Kurai-gana Island. Mihawk is living in the double くらい[Kura-i] area, the contrast between くろい[Kuro-i] of Luminous Intensity and あをい[Awo-i] of Luminous Flux. It does not shine itself nor opened.

This double くらい[Kura-i] color contrast is Japanese originality of poetry. It is called 奥行(おくゆき)[Oku-Yuki]. Japanese poets tried to tell it each other. Most of the Japanese poetry are くらい[Kura-i].

This area is opposite of the contrast between あかい[Aka-i] and しろい[Shiro-i].

One of the way to guess about such an unclear thing is to know about other clear contrasts or distinctions.

Before talking about **奥行**, we should see **Hue**, **Saturation/Chroma**, **Value/Brightness**

## Four areas of the color space

2 crossing lines divides space into 4 areas.

These 4 areas have own contrast of the opposite color poles.

(1) Ao-i <-> Aka-i : (Blue <-> Red) : Hue

(2) Aka-i <-> Shiro-i : (Red <-> White) : Saturation/Chroma

(3) Shiro-i <-> Kuro-i : (White <-> Black) : Value/Brightness

(4) Kuro-i <-> Ao-i (Black <-> Blue) : 奥行(おくゆき)[Oku-yuki]

## (1) Ao-i <-> Aka-i : (Blue <-> Red) : Hue

In the HSV(B) color model, this area is 色相(シキソウ)[ShikiSou]: Hue. Usually, this area is called 色(いろ)[Iro]:color simply.

### **色相(シキソウ)[ShikiSou]: Hue**

In the HSV(B) color model, one of the three characteristics used to describe a color. Hue is the attribute that most readily distinguishes one color from other colors. It depends on the frequency of a light wave in the visible spectrum.

## (2) Aka-i <-> Shiro-i : (Red <-> White) : Saturation/Chroma

In the HSV(B) color model, this area is 彩度(サイド)[Sai-Do]：Saturation/Chroma.

### **彩度(サイド)[Sai-Do]：Saturation/Chroma**

**Saturation:** In color management, the purity of a color's hue, moving from gray to the pure color. (art) the intensity or vividness of a color.

**Chroma:** chromatic purity: freedom from dilution with white and hence vivid in hue.

## (3) Shiro-i <-> Kuro-i : (White <-> Black) : Value/Brightness

### **明度(メイド)[Mei-Do]：Value/Brightness**

**Brightness:** The amount of light that is emitted by a computer monitor or picture displayed on the monitor.

## (4) Kuro-i <-> Ao-i (Black <-> Blue) : 奥行(おくゆき)[Oku-yuki]

### **奥行(おくゆき)[Oku-yuki]:**

> depth, length, distance, deepness, profoundness, profundity
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The primary meaning of 奥行 is depth on the measurement, such as depth of the refrigerator or depth of the space for a refrigerator in the kitchen. Width is 幅(はば[Haba]) of the object or 間口(まぐち[Ma-Guchi]) of the space.

### **Japanese Color Space : OKU-YUKI**

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