What's Bengali for that Color? Quiz

Answer: Sobuj

The word "sobuj" (spelled "Show-booj") denotes the color green in Bengali. The word is a noun and when used as an adjective, it is written "sobje" (spelled "showb-jay") which means "greenish".

Laal is Red.
Khoyeri is Brown.
Holud is Yellow.

Answer: Black

The word "kalo" in Bengali means "black" in English. It is quite similar to the Hindi equivalent "Kala" since both the words have been derived from the Sanskrit word "Krishna" which means the dark color. This word is a noun and becomes "kalche" (spelled "kaal-chay") when being used as an adjective (blackish).

Answer: Blue Lotus

The word "neel" comes from the Sanskritised Hindi word "neela" which means blue. Many Bengali words have been derived from Hindi and Sanskrit because both Hindi and Bengali are from the Indo-Aryan group of languages which also consists of other South-Asian languages like Punjabi, Marathi, Assamese and Nepali. The adjectival form of "neel" is "neelche"(neel-chay) meaning "bluish".

Answer: Laal

The word "laal" comes from the original Sanskrit word "lohit" which means "red". The Hindi word "laal" is similar to the Bengali word. In a different usage "laal" is also used to mean "the-apple-of-the-eye" or "the lovable kid" in Hindi and Bengali. The reason, perhaps, is to draw a parallel between the color red (the color of blood) and a male child(signifying the continuity of the blood-line of a family).

Komola is Orange.
Beguni is Purple.
Shada is White.

Answer: Holud

The colour of turmeric powder is yellow. The word "holud" (spelled "ho-lood") comes from the Sanskrit word "haridra" which actually means "turmeric". This is an example of an object being named after its color (much like the color orange denotes the fruit itself in English).

Tamate is Copper-brown.
Laal is Red.
Golapi is Pink.

Answer: Shada

The word (spelled "shaa-daa") originates from the Sanskrit word "shwet". It is close to the Hindi equivalent "safed". In Indian culture, the color white symbolises purity, chastity and truth. It is also a symbol of peace.

Holud is Yellow.
Golapi is Pink.
Akashi is Indigo.

Answer: Saffron

The word (spelled "gay-roo-aah") is taken from the Sanskrit "gairik" which means the color saffron. Saffron is the color of selflessness, magnanimity and purgation. This color is closely related to the Hindu and Buddhist philosophies. Hindu monks (Sanyasis and Yogis) and Buddhist priests (the Lamas) are often seen in public clad in saffron which separates them from the masses and evokes a sense of admiration in the hearts of the followers.

Answer: Beguni

The brinjal is known in the UK as an aubergine, or an eggplant in the USA. The word "beguni" (spelled "bay-goony") means purple (or Violet of VIBGYOR) in Bengali vocabulary. It is funny to know that brinjal is called "begun"(spelled "bay-goon"). This is another example of an object being named after its color.

Sobuj is Green.
Kalo is Black.
Sonali is Golden.

Answer: Komola

The word "komola"(spelled "kaw-mow-laa") means "orange" in Bengali.

Chhai is Grey.
Rupoli is Silver.
Khoyeri is Brown.

Answer: It's just the Bengali equivalent of the acronym VIBGYOR for the rainbow's colors

Actually, the acronym is the Bengali equivalent of VIBGYOR and students are taught to memorise it from a very tender age, even before they could learn the English version. The phrase "BeNiAaShawHoKawLa" comprises of the initial sounds of the Bengali words which denote the seven colors of the rainbow.