David JohnsonLike death and taxes, there is no escaping color.It is ubiquitous.Yet what does it all mean?

颜色，如同死亡和税收一样，也是无处不在。那么，不同的颜色又代表了什么不同的含义呢?

Why are people more relaxed in green rooms? Why do weightlifters do their best in blue gyms?

为什么人们在绿色的房间里会感到心情舒畅?为什么举重运动员在蓝色的体育馆内表现得非常出色呢?

Colors often have different meanings in various cultures.In the U.S., researchers have generally found the following to be accurate.

在不同的文化背景中，颜色所表达的意义也有所不同。在美国，研究者对颜色的含义进行了精准的描述。

BlackBlack is the color of authority and power.It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner.

黑色：黑色是权威与权力的象征。它之所以是时装的流行色，是因为黑色的衣服使人看起来更苗条。

It is also stylish¹ and timeless.Black also implies submission².Priests wear black to signify submission to God.Some fashion experts say a woman wearing black implies submission to men.Black outfits³ can also be overpowering.or make the wearer seem aloof⁴ or evil.

黑色是永恒的时尚。黑色也意味着服从。神父身着黑色象征着对上帝的恭顺。一些服装设计师说，一个女人身着黑色意味着对男人的服从。黑色套装会使人感到难以抗拒，也会令人感到冷漠或邪恶。像德古拉，这个吸血鬼的化身，经常身着黑色。

Villains⁵.such as Dracula, often wear black.WhiteBrides wear white to symbolize⁶ innocence⁷ and purity.

白色：新娘身披白色婚纱，是天真和纯洁的象征。

White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything.

白色，因其明快、中性和随和而流行于世。

However, white shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean than other colors.

但白色易脏，因此与其他颜色相比更难保持清洁。

Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility⁸.RedThe most emotionally intense color, red stimulates⁹ a faster heartbeat and breathing.

医护人员身着白色暗示着洁净无菌。红色红色是最具有激情的颜色，能加快人的心跳和呼吸。

It is also the color of love.Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier.Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations¹⁰ or confrontations¹¹.Red cars are popular targets for thieves.

红色也是爱的色彩。红色服装引人注目，使穿着者显得厚重。由于其色彩过于艳丽，不适于在谈判或对抗性活动中穿着。红色轿车是窃贼的首选目标。

In decorating, red is usually used as an accent.Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention.

在美化装潢方面，红色常是着重强调的色彩。装潢师说，因为红色会引起人们的注意，所以红色的家具会很理想。

The most romantic color, pink, is more tranquilizing. BlueThe color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors.

最具浪漫色彩的是粉红色，它更能让人感到温馨。

It causes the opposite reaction as red.Peaceful, tranquil¹² blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms.

蓝色是天空和海洋的颜色，是最受人们喜爱的色彩之一。因此其适合用于卧室

Fashion consultants¹³ recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes¹⁴ loyalty¹⁵.

宁静的蓝色会使人体产生令人镇定的化学物质。因此其适合用于卧室。

People are more productive in blue rooms.Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.GreenCurrently the most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature.It is a calming, refreshing¹⁶ color.

时装顾问建议在面试时身着蓝色衣服，因为它代表着忠诚。人们在蓝色的房间内工作效率会更高。研究表明，举重运动员在蓝色场馆内的表现更佳。绿色目前，绿色是最尚的装饰颜色，绿色代表着大自然。绿色使人安逸，令人振奋。

People waiting to appear on TV sit in“green rooms”to relax.Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients.

人们在准备录节目的时候，坐在“绿色的房间”里，能放松心情。

Brides in the Middle Ages wore green to symbolize fertility.Dark green is masculine, conservative.and implies wealth.YellowCheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter.

医院里通常是绿色基调，因为它会缓解病人的痛苦。中世纪的新娘身着绿色象征着她们的生育能力。墨绿色代表着阳刚、传统和财富。

While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more.Yellow enhances concentration.

黄色欢快的金黄能吸引人们的注意力。人们把它看成是乐观向上的颜色。在黄色的房间里，人们更容易发脾气，婴儿也更容易哭闹。

hence its use for legal pads.It also speeds metabolism¹⁷.PurpleThe color of royalty¹⁸, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication.

因为黄色能提高人们的注意力，所以它被用于警示牌。黄色还能加速人体的新陈代谢。

However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.BrownSolid, reliable brown is the color of earth and is abundant in nature.

可是，在大自然中这种颜色很少见，所以紫色可能是人造的色彩。棕色在大自然中，坚固、结实的棕色是大地的色彩。它随处可见。

Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather.Brown can also be sad and wistful.

树木和皮革的颜色接近于深褐色，而浅棕色才是正宗的棕色。棕色也能给人带来忧伤和渴望。

Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors.Colors of the FlagIn the U.S, flag, white stands for purity and innocence.

男人更倾向于把棕色作为他们最喜欢的颜色之一。旗帜的颜色在美国国旗中，白色代表纯洁和天真。

Red represents valor¹⁹ and hardiness²⁰.while blue signifies justice, perseverance²¹, and vigilance.The stars represent the heavens and all the good that people strive for, while the stripes emulate²² the sun’s rays.

红色代表勇气和顽强，而蓝色象征正义、不屈不挠和机警。紫色紫色代表着王室，意味着华贵、财富和权威。星星代表天堂和为美好未来而奋斗的人们，条纹代表太阳的光芒。

While blue is one of the most popular colors, it is one of the least appetizing.Blue food is rare in nature.

食物的随想尽管蓝色是最受欢迎的颜色之一，但它同时也是最不能引起食欲的颜色之一。在自然界，蓝色食品是非常稀有的。

Food researchers say that when humans searched for food, they learned to avoid toxic²³ or spoiled objects, which were often blue, black, or purple.

食物研究人员说，当人们在寻找食物时，他们学会了避开有毒的或是腐烂的食物，而这些食物的颜色通常就是蓝色，黑色或紫色。

When food dyed blue is served to study subjects.they lose appetite.Green, brown, and red are the most popular food colors.Red is often used in restaurant decorating schemes because it is an appetite stimulant²⁴.

每当看到食物呈蓝色时，他们就没了胃口。绿色，棕色和红色是最流行的食物的颜色。餐馆在装修时，经常选用红色，因为红色能刺激人们的食欲。