You can find the names of colors in a lot of English expressions. Many of these expressions, however,
talk about colors in very different ways. For example, the expression black and white can have different
meanings. If something is black and white, it means it is clear, easy to understand. However, some
people see everything in black and white, which means that they judge everything they see as either
good or bad. Some people have to see something in black and white to know that it is true; this black
and white talks about seeing something printed, as in a newspaper. If something is printed in a
newspaper, it must be true, right?
The color red is often used to talk about things that are hot or exciting. You can listen to red-hot jazz
music or eat red-hot chili peppers. If you roll out the red carpet for someone, you are giving them a big
welcome. On TV, you may see stars walking on the red carpet at the opening night of a Hollywood movie
or at the Academy Awards. After a big night like this, the stars often paint the town red, which means
that they celebrate and have fun, going to parties or nightclubs all over town. However, red isn't always
fun.
If you do something embarrassing, like spill coffee on your teacher's desk, perhaps your face is beet-red.
Your teacher's face might be red with anger, too! Or if you see a person doing something bad on
purpose, like taking someone's wallet, you can say that you caught the person red-handed. Whether it's
good or bad, red usually means something interesting is happening.
Blue is different. When people are blue, or have got the blues, it means they feel sad. They might listen
to blues music, which usually tells sad stories. Blue isn't always a sad color, though. If something good
happens to you when you're not expecting it, like when you get a good idea, or if you run into an old
friend, you can say it happened out o f the blue.
Green is another color that can have very different meanings. In the past, being green was almost always
something negative. For example, if you ride on a boat and feel seasick, your face may look green. If
someone has something nice that you really want, like a new car or an expensive watch, you may also be
green with envy. Or if you are starting a new job, your boss may say you are green, which means that
you don't have any experience.
Now, however, green is usually good. Being green more often means doing good things for the
environment. People who are good at growing plants have a green thumb. Many companies are going
green, which means they are recycling more or are trying to use less energy. In fact, some companies are
moving to new, green buildings, which may use solar power or grow plants on their roofs. So if someone
asks you how green you are, it probably means they want to know if you do good things for the
environment.
Learning new expressions with colors can be fun, but it's not always easy. As you can see, their
meanings can sometimes be very different. Try looking for these expressions in the things you read. If
you learn more about how these expressions are used, you may add a little color to your writing, or even
pass your next English test with flying colors