Visual Color Symbolism Chart by Culture

By Jennifer Kyrnin, About.com Guide
Color is an important part of any design, but if you make a bad choice of colors your design can say something different than you intend it to. How colors are perceived depends a lot on the culture a person was born into, and with the below chart you can get a better sense of how the colors you choose affect your customers in various cultures.
The below chart lists colors and meanings that various different cultures associate with those colors. Note that in some cases, the color is also associated with another “thing” such as a “white dove” in western cultures symbolizes peace. Also, sometimes it’s the color in combination with another color that creates the association, such as red and green symbolizing Christmas in the west. This information is noted below.
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Red Australian Aboriginals: Land, earthCeltic: Death, afterlifeChina: Good luck, celebration, summoningCherokees: Success, triumph. Represents the East.Hebrew: Sacrifice, sinIndia: PuritySouth Africa: Color of mourningRussia: Bolsheviks and CommunismEastern: Worn by brides, happiness and prosperityWestern: Excitement, danger, love, passion, stop, Christmas (with green), Valentine’s DayAstrology: GeminiFeng Shui: Yang, fire, good luck, money, respect, recognition, vitalityPsychology: Stimulates brain wave activity, increases heart rate, increases blood pressureRoses: Love, respect — red and yellow together means gaiety, jovialityStained Glass (Dante): Divine love, the Holy Spirit, courage, self-sacrifice, martyrdom. A warm, active color.
Red Color Palettes
Pink Korea: TrustEastern: MarriageWestern: Love, babies, especially female babies, Valentine’s DayFeng Shui: Yin, lovePsychology: Used in diet therapy as an appetite suppressant, relaxes muscles, soothingRoses: Gratitude and appreciation (deep pink) or admiration and sympathy (light pink)Orange Ireland: Religious (Protestants)Netherlands: House of OrangeWestern: Halloween (with black), creativity, autumnAstrology: SagittariusFeng Shui: Yang, earth, strengthens conversation, purpose, organizationPsychology: Energizes, stimulates appetiteRoses: Enthusiasm, desireGold Eastern: Wealth, strengthWestern: WealthAstrology: Leo (Golden Yellow/Orange)Feng Shui: Yang, metal, God consciousnessStained Glass (Dante): The sun, the goodness of God, treasure in heaven, spiritual achievement, and the good life.Yellow Apache: East — where the sun risesCherokee: Trouble and strife.China: Nourishing, royaltyEgypt: MourningIndia: MerchantsJapan: CourageNavajo: Doko’oosliid — Abalone Shell MountainEastern: Proof against evil, for the dead, sacred, imperialWestern: Hope, hazards, coward, weakness, taxisAstrology: TaurusFeng Shui: Yang, earth, auspicious, sun beams, warmth, motionPsychology: Energizes, relieves depression, improves memory, stimulates appetiteRoses: Sociability, friendship, joy, gladness — red and yellow together means gaiety, jovialityStained Glass (Dante): The sun, the goodness of God, treasure in heaven, spiritual achievement, and the good life.Green Apache: SouthChina: Green hats imply a man’s wife is cheating on him, exorcismIndia: IslamIreland: Symbol of the entire country, religious (Catholics)Islam: Perfect faithJapan: LifeEastern: Eternity, family, health, prosperity, peaceWestern: 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, calmingPsychology: Soothing, relaxing mentally and physically, helps with depression, anxiety and nervousnessStained Glass (Dante): Hope, victory over ignorance, happiness and gaiety, springtime, youth, good humor, and fun.
Green Color Palettes
Blue Cherokees: Defeat, trouble. Represents the North.China: ImmortalityIran: Color of heaven and spirituality, mourningNavajo: Tsoodzil — Turquoise MountainEastern: Wealth, self-cultivationWestern: Depression, sadness, conservative, corporate, "something blue" bridal traditionAstrology: Capricorn and Aquarius (dark blue)Feng Shui: Yin, water, calm, love, healing, relaxing, peace, trust, adventure, explorationPsychology: Calming, lowers blood pressure, decreases respirationStained Glass (Dante): Wisdom of God, the light of heaven, meditation, enduring loyalty, and eternity.
Blue Color Palettes
Powder Blue or Baby Blue Western: babies, especially male babiesAstrology: VirgoPurple Thailand: Mourning, widowsEastern: WealthWestern: RoyaltyAstrology: Gemini, Sagittarius, and PiscesFeng Shui: Yin, spiritual awareness, physical and mental healingStained Glass (Dante): Justice, royalty, suffering and mystery. With white it stands for humility and purity.Violet Astrology: Virgo and LibraPsychology: Suppresses appetite, peaceful environment, good for migrainesWhite Apache: North — source of snow.Cherokee: Peace and happiness. Represents the South.China: Death, mourningIndia: unhappinessJapan: White carnation symbolizes deathNavajo: Tsisnaasjini’ — Dawn or White Shell MountainEastern: Funerals, helpful people, children, marriage, mourning, peace, travelWestern: Brides, angels, good guys, hospitals, doctors, peace (white dove)Astrology: Aries and PiscesFeng Shui: Yang, metal, death, mourning, spirits, ghosts, poise, confidenceRoses: Reverence, humilityStained Glass (Dante): Serenity, peace, purity, joy, faith, and innocence.Black Apache: West — where the sun setsAustralian Aboriginals: Color of the peopleCherokee: Problems and death. Represents the West.China: Color for young boysNavajo: Dibé Nitsaa — Obsidian MountainThailand: Bad luck, unhappiness, evilEastern: Career, evil, knowledge, mourning, pennanceWestern: Funerals, death, Halloween (with orange), bad guys, rebellionFeng Shui: Yin, water, money, income, career success, emotional protection, power, stability, bruises, evilPsychology: self-confidence, strength, powerGray Eastern: Helpers, travelWestern: Boring, dull, plain, sadFeng Shui: Yin, metal, dead, dull, indefiniteSilver Western: stylish, moneyFeng Shui: Yin, metal, trust, romanceBrown Australian Aboriginals: Color of the landCherokee: Good.Western: Wholesome, earthy, dependable, steadfast, healthAstrology: Capricorn and Scorpio (reddish brown)Feng Shui: Yang, earth, industry, grounded
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