# Numbers have colors **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 2, 2001, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579 "2001-08-02T02:07:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![City\_Gent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a87d85/32.png) [@City\_Gent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/City_Gent)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/1 "2001-08-02T02:07:40Z")
1 is black 2 is light purple or tan 3…don’t know 4 is brown 5 is green 6 is light blue 7 is green 8 is navy blue 9 is black Anyone else experience this? ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/2 "2001-08-02T02:26:30Z")
Yep. Different colours, though. 0 is a slate grey, 1 is silver, 2 is green, 3 is red, 4 is brown, 5 is the same colour as 1, 6 is a dark orange, 7 is green (but darker than 2), 8 isn’t much of anything, and 9 is yellow. I’ve never thought much of it. It’s not like I’m synesthetic or anything; I think my brain just decided once that the colours would help me remember strings of digits better. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/3 "2001-08-02T02:27:33Z")
The condition is known as [synesthesia](http://psyche.cs.monash.edu.au/v2/psyche-2-10-cytowic.html). There have been threads here on it before, and there was an article on it in Discover, but I couldn’t find it on-line. ---
**Author:** ![Kalashnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kalashnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalashnikov)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/4 "2001-08-02T04:06:58Z")
oh, c’mon! any techie knows that 0 is black 1 is brown 2 is red 3 is orange 4 is yellow 5 is green 6 is blue 7 is violet 8 is grey 9 is white now, how many different nmeumonics are there for this? bad boys rape our young girls behind victory garden walls bad boys rob our young girls behind victory garden walls bad boys rape our young girls but violet goes willingly bad boys rob our young girls but violet goes willingly ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/5 "2001-08-02T13:22:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kalashnikov \* > \*\*9 is white > > \*\* So, do you assume that every blank space on a screen is the number 9? Or is it a white 9 with a black outline? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/6 "2001-08-02T13:41:57Z")
I do experience this, but the colors aren’t constant. Rather, they seem to depend on the characters around the number (or letter). ---
**Author:** ![Sunglasses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Sunglasses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunglasses)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/7 "2001-08-02T14:07:52Z")
Ooooh, oooh, someone who (kinda) thinks like me! My numbers don’t have colors but, they DO have gender: 1 - male 2 - female 3 - male 4 - male 5 - androgynous 6 - female 7 - male 8 - male 9 - female Colors have gender, too: red - female yellow - female orange - female blue - male green - male I’m not weird, right? ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/8 "2001-08-02T14:18:38Z")
**ZeGirl** , For me, red, blue and purple are male while orange, green and yellow are female. And thanks for the heads-up in the other thread. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/9 "2001-08-02T15:01:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kalashnikov \* > bad boys rape our young girls but violet goes willingly …for silver and gold. Yes, it actually becomes more crude when you add the multiplier colors. ---
**Author:** ![Mort\_Furd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mort\_Furd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mort_Furd)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/10 "2001-08-02T15:13:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kalashnikov \* > \*\*oh, c’mon! any techie knows that > 0 is black > 1 is brown > 2 is red > 3 is orange > 4 is yellow > 5 is green > 6 is blue > 7 is violet > 8 is grey > 9 is white > now, how many different nmeumonics are there for this? > \*\* Better be right or your great big venture goes west. I learned that one in school. The instructor couldn’t have possibly used the other ones because we had girls in the class. Besides, Mr. Lambert was just too nice a guy for that kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/11 "2001-08-02T15:15:01Z")
[sub]…I always thought that # **2** was brown…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/12 "2001-08-02T16:21:05Z")
For an interesting fictional take on this, see **John Crowley** ’s _Aegypt_. The main character is a historian with a similarly colorful take on numbers, and he sees historical events in the colors associated with their years. To me, they’re just numbers. But eight tastes like graham crackers. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/13 "2001-08-02T21:18:17Z")
1 is white 2 is green, or occasionally red 3 is yellow 4 is blue 5 is sand-yellow 6 is pale ice-blue 7 is chocolate brown 8 is red or purple 9 is yellow **and** black (stripes, like a wasp) 0 is black ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/14 "2001-08-02T21:46:51Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* \*\*9 is yellow **and** black (stripes, like a wasp) \*\* [QUOTE] I had to look this up and you are correct since they are a type of wasp, but I wanted to yell: [list][list][list][list][list][list] **NO! YELLOW JACKET!** [LIST]:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Tyklfe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@Tyklfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyklfe)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/15 "2001-08-02T22:13:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kalashnikov \* > \*\*oh, c’mon! any techie knows that > > 0 is black > 1 is brown > 2 is red > 3 is orange > 4 is yellow > 5 is green > 6 is blue > 7 is violet > 8 is grey > 9 is white > > \*\* Dang it **Kalashnikov** , you beat me to it ---
**Author:** ![katiekilldare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/838e76/32.png) [@katiekilldare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katiekilldare)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/16 "2001-08-02T22:19:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ZeGirl \* > \*\* > 1 - male > 2 - female > 3 - male > 4 - male > 5 - androgynous > 6 - female > 7 - male > 8 - male > 9 - female > > Colors have gender, too: > > red - female > yellow - female > orange - female > blue - male > green - male > > I’m not weird, right? \*\* I am so so sorry, but **3** , **8** , and **blue** are all female. **Yellow** , **orange** , and **5** are all boys. 'Twas always thus, and always thus will be. I’m so glad someone else has assigned numbers a gender. I suddenly feel much more at peace in the world. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/17 "2001-08-02T22:34:52Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by kniz \* \*\* [QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* \*\*9 is yellow **and** black (stripes, like a wasp) \*\* > [@](#): > > I had to look this up and you are correct since they are a type of wasp, but I wanted to yell: > [list][list][list][list][list][list] **NO! YELLOW JACKET!** [LIST]:eek: \*\* ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/18 "2001-08-02T22:35:12Z")
Does anyone have any stats on how supposedly “rare” this is? The article I read said it was rare, as if it was some sort of Oliver Sacks-esque condition. Yet it seems like a lot of people do it to some extent. I get colors for numbers, days of the week, months of the year, and some letters and names. PS I can’t believe no one else thinks 5 is red! I feel so alone! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/19 "2001-08-02T22:36:40Z")
Sorry, that was meant to be me saying: (USA)‘Yellowjacket’ = (I think)_Vespula Vulgaris_ = (UK)‘Wasp’ ---
**Author:** ![fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ba0ec/32.png) [@fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fish_in_the_sky)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579/20 "2001-08-02T22:40:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ZeGirl \* > \*\*I’m not weird, right? \*\* Oh, my gosh, no not at all. All my numbers have colours and genders, and all my colours have genders of their own. Never stopped to think about whether or not it all matches up; let’s see: 0=black 1=emerald green 2=yellow 3=red 4=kind of an ochrey shade of orange 5=blue 6=red-orange 7=cyan 8=purple 9=yellow-green 0=male 1=male 2=female 3=female 4=female 5=male 6=female 7=male 8=female 9=female red=male orange=female, but kinda tomboy-ish yellow=male green=female blue=female purple=male white=female black=male Hrm, no, they don’t match up. I guess I didn’t expect them to. (number/colour and number/gender are usually unconnected in my mind. Colour/gender was tough to determine, since I, as an artist, recognize so many different hues, and of course each of these different hues has a different gender. For example, an nice deep green like viridian is undeniably feminine (to me) but if you take a light green and maybe mix in a little yellow–like the colour of the fresh grass in spring–then green starts to become more masculine.) In any event, I find this all to be very pyschologically fascinating. Just caught **katiekilldare’s** post in preview. You really think orange is a boy? I’ll have you know my orange is sitting on the floor in her overalls crying her little girly orange eyes out, wailing, “But I’m a girl! I really am!!” What kind of orange are you picturing? Is it like a red-orange? Like, almost a rust colour? Cause I could see how you could be confused, then. (Something I just thought of. Do colours and numbers have ages? When I was thinking of orange just now I pictured a little girl, but blue and green, at least, are grown women. Hmmm…) ::sigh:: Either you people type really fast or I type really slow. Just got **delphica’s** post on _this_ preview… And all I want to say is: > [@](#): > > I get colors for numbers, days of the week, months of the year, and some letters and names. me too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numbers-have-colors/74579.md?page=2)