Languages › Japanese Aka Share Flipboard Email Print Paper Boat Creative Japanese Essential Japanese Vocabulary History & Culture Japanese Grammar By Namiko Abe Japanese Language Expert B.A., Kwansei Gakuin University Namiko Abe is a Japanese language teacher and translator, as well as a Japanese calligraphy expert. She has been a freelance writer for nearly 20 years. our editorial process Namiko Abe Updated June 14, 2017 The common Japanese word aka, pronounced "AH-kah", is the noun for the word "red", or "crimson". The Japanese conception of color is a dynamic one, and red is particularly important. Japanese Characters aka (赤) Example Ani wa mae kara hoshigatteita akai kuruma o katta.兄は前から欲しがっていた赤い車を買った。 Translation: My brother bought a red car that he always wanted.