Colors

1. kulokula

   Red

2. lanu moli

   Orange

   Usage

   "lanu" is colour and "moli" is the orange fruit, so this literally means "orange-fruit colour".

3. engeenga

   Yellow

   Usage

   A reduplication of "enga" (turmeric). The full colour phrase "lanu engeenga" is also used.

4. lanumata

   Green

5. lanumoana

   Dark blue

6. lanumoana maama

   Sky blue

   Usage

   Tongan has a single basic blue, "lanumoana" (lit. sea-colour); there is no separate word for sky blue. Shade is added with "maama" (light) or "poʻuli" (dark).

7. paʻuhiʻuhi

   Purple

8. kulamaama

   Pink

   Usage

   "kula" (red) + "maama" (light) = pale red. The English loan "pingikī" is also heard in everyday speech.

9. melomelo

   Brown

   Usage

   The colour of a mature coconut. It also covers yellowish-brown; the full phrase "lanu melomelo" is used too.

10. hinehina

    White

11. ʻuliʻuli

    Black

12. lanu efuefu

    Gray

    Usage

    "lanu" (colour) + "efuefu" (ashes) = ash-colour. On its own "efuefu" means the ashes themselves, so keep "lanu".

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