Psychology Global Strategist
Global Color Meanings: Don't Offend Your Users
White means purity in the West but mourning in the East. A guide to international color symbolism for global products.
When launching a product globally, color choice is risky. A color that signifies “Success” in New York might signify “Death” in Shanghai.
⚪ White
- Western World: Purity, Weddings, Cleanliness, Peace.
- East Asia (China/Korea): Death, Mourning, Funerals.
- Advice: Be careful with all-white packaging or branding in Asian markets, especially if festive.
🔴 Red
- West: Danger, Love, Passion, Christmas, Stop.
- China: Luck, Prosperity, Celebration, New Year, Money.
- Finance Markets: “Red” means loss (stock down) in US/Europe. “Red” means gain (stock up) in China.
- Advice: If designing a trading app for China, verify your arrow colors!
🟢 Green
- West: Nature, Money, Go, Safety, Envy.
- Middle East: Islam, Paradise, Strength, Fertility.
- South America: In some jungle cultures, associated with death (the density of the jungle).
- Advice: Generally safe globally for “positive action”, but highly religious in MENA regions.
🟡 Yellow
- West: Happiness, Caution, Cowardice.
- Latin America: In some areas, yellow flowers are associated with death.
- Imperial China: The color of the Emperor, royalty, and power.
- Advice: Use as an accent. High visibility, but fatiguing in large doses.
🟣 Purple
- West: Royalty, Wealth, Magic, Wisdom (historically expensive dye).
- Thailand: The color of mourning (widows).
- Brazil: Also associated with death/funerals in some contexts.
🧧
China
Red is the ultimate color of luck. Use it generously for sales and festivals.
🕌
Middle East
Green is sacred. Use it respectfully, not for disposable items.
⚱️
East Asia
Pure White is for funerals. Break it up with red or gold accents.
Summary
In a hyper-connected world, context is king.
- Know your primary market.
- Localization is more than translation. It’s about adapting visuals too.
- When in doubt, test. Local users will spot a cultural faux pas instantly.