Semantik Warna dalam Bahasa Indonesia dan Bahasa Jepang

Abstract

The objective of this research is to describe the primary and secondary colors in Indonesian and Japanese, along with their meanings, using the theory of Natural Semantic Metalanguage. This research employs a qualitative method, with its paradigm focused on observation of the surrounding context. Data are gathered from various sources, such as Indonesian and Japanese speakers, Indonesian dictionaries, the Indonesian corpus, and the Japanese corpus. The findings suggest that there are five primary colors in both Indonesian and Japanese: black (kuro), white ( shiro), red (aka), blue (ao), and yellow (kiiro). It is also found that there are 61 secondary colors in Indonesian and 86 secondary colors in Japanese. The research reveals both differences and similarities in color categorization and meanings in these two languages, which are influenced by local cultural and natural factors. The conclusion of the research is that although there are similarities in the association of colors with objects and natural phenomena, there are significant differences reflecting cultural and environmental distinctions between the two languages. These colors possess universal characteristics understood by all people, but their specific associations provide deeper insights into how the two languages view and interpret colors. This difference highlights how the environment and culture shape the perception and meaning of colors in both languages