Better Red Than Dead!

When you think of Valentine's Day, one automatically thinks of the colour red, doesn't one? 赤 (aka or red) in Japan has a similar connotation but there are several idioms using red that mean something other than love. For example:

赤子の手をひねる akago no te o hineru To describe something easily done. Literally means, "To twist a baby's hand."

赤裸 akahadaka Stark-naked, completely nude.

赤恥をかく akahaji o kaku Be put to shame in public, be humiliated.

赤字 akaji A deficit.

赤くなる akaku naru To blush, to turn red with embarrassment.

赤の他人 aka no tanin A complete stranger.

赤信号 akashingou A red traffic light, a danger signal.

To learn more about the Japanese concept of red, go for it. Here is a very cool colour guide showing all the various shades of red. (Here is the colour guide in Japanese only.)

Voila my pre-Valentine video:



On a more sombre note, February 13th marks the anniversary of my father's death way back in '81. He actually died in the wee hours of the 14th, but we don't need to put a damper on Valentine's Day, do we?