COLOR — NCT WISH: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
What does “COLOR” by NCT WISH mean?
“COLOR” by NCT WISH is about a group standing out in a world that prizes black and white, and filling it with their own shades. Painting is the main image: big brushes, crayons, splashed paint and plenty of empty space, where a wobbly drawing and even shadows look lovely.
What the song is about
Alongside, there's a tender closeness with someone whose pastel tones, golden eyes and reddening ears make the night glow, in a confident, playful mood.
NCT WISH performs at 2026 MAMA
Fri, Nov 20 · Kyocera Dome Osaka. Every performer’s songs, day by day, with English translation and meaning.
2026 MAMA performers’ songs →Key lines
4 lines from the song in Korean, with how they sound and what they mean. The full line-by-line breakdown lives in the app.
투명한 빛 위로 무지개가 뜨면Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): tu·myeong·han bi dwi·ro mu·ji·gae·ga tteu·myeon
Meaning: When a rainbow rises over the clear light
Words in this line- 투명한tu·myeong·hantransparent
- 빛bilight
- 위로dwi·roover, above
- 무지개가mu·ji·gae·garainbow
- 뜨면tteu·myeonif it rises
Word for word: Transparent light upward-toward rainbow floats-up if
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 뜨다 on its own means 'to float up', but Korean uses it for the sun, moon and rainbows to mean 'to appear in the sky'. 위로 literally means 'toward the top', which sounds natural in English as 'over'. The ending 면 means 'if/when', so the line becomes a gentle 'when a rainbow shows up'.
파스텔처럼 번져온 너의 ColorListen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): pa·seu·tel·cheo·reom beon·jeo·on neo·e Color
Meaning: Your color spreads over me like pastel
Words in this line- 파스텔처럼pa·seu·tel·cheo·reomlike pastel
- 번져온beon·jeo·onthat spread over
- 너의neo·eyour
Word for word: Pastel-like spread-come your Color
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 번져온 combines 번지다 ('to bleed, spread') and 오다 ('to come'), so the color spreads toward the speaker, not just outward. 처럼 means 'like', and comparing it to pastel makes the image soft. The literal version is a pile of words, while the meaning is a loved one's gentle influence.
나는 더 달릴 거야 It's our time 찬란한Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): na·neun deo dal·lil kkeo·ya It's our time chal·lan·han
Meaning: I'll run even faster — it's our time, the radiant one
Words in this line- 나는na·neunI
- 더deomore
- 달릴dal·lilwill run
- 거야kkeo·yaI will
- 찬란한chal·lan·hanradiant
Word for word: I more will-run-surely It's our time radiant.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 거야 at the end of the verb is not a separate word but a tail of resolve: 'I will definitely'. 더 alone means 'more', but with a verb of running it becomes 'faster'. 찬란한 is a modifier left hanging for the next word, so the literal line seems to break off.
안아줘 뜨겁게 시간은 너무 빨라Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): a·na·jwo tteu·geop·kke si·ga·neun neo·mu ppal·la
Meaning: Hold me tight, time goes by too fast
Words in this line- 안아줘a·na·jwohug me
- 뜨겁게tteu·geop·kkepassionately
- 시간은si·ga·neuntime
- 너무neo·mutoo
- 빨라ppal·lafast
Word for word: Hug hotly, time is too fast.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 뜨겁게 on its own means 'hotly', but with a hug it means 'tightly and passionately'. 빨라 means 'is fast', yet English says time 'goes by' or 'flies'. The translation picks the natural phrasing.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “COLOR” — NCT WISH. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Song facts
- Lines
- 63
- Key lines explained
- 4
- Words explained
- 18
- Length
- 3:01
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Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가까이 | ga·kka·i | close |
| 개의 | gae·e | pieces of |
| 귀는 | gwi·neun | ears |
| 그래 | geu·rae | yes |
| 그림자마저 | geu·rim·ja·ma·jeo | even the shadow |
| 금빛 | geum·ppit | golden sheen |
| 기적은 | gi·jeo·geun | miracle |
| 넘치게 | neom·chi·ge | to overflow |
| 놀라게 | nol·la·ge | to be surprised |
| 눈에 | nu·ne | in the eyes |
| 들고 | deul·go | holding |
| 맘대로 | mam·dae·ro | as I please |
| 밤이 | ba·mi | night |
| 빛이 | bi·chi | light |
| 빨갛게 | ppal·ga·ke | red |
| 색으로 | sae·geu·ro | with color |
| 색을 | sae·geul | color (object) |
| 파란 | pa·ran | blue |
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Questions about “COLOR”
What is “COLOR” by NCT WISH about?
“COLOR” by NCT WISH is about a group standing out in a world that prizes black and white, and filling it with their own shades. Painting is the main image: big brushes, crayons, splashed paint and plenty of empty space, where a wobbly drawing and even shadows look lovely.
What does “투명한 빛 위로 무지개가 뜨면” mean in “COLOR”?
In “COLOR” by NCT WISH, “투명한 빛 위로 무지개가 뜨면” means: When a rainbow rises over the clear light. 뜨다 on its own means 'to float up', but Korean uses it for the sun, moon and rainbows to mean 'to appear in the sky'. 위로 literally means 'toward the top', which sounds natural in English as 'over'. The ending 면 means 'if/when', so the line becomes a gentle 'when a rainbow shows up'.
What does “파스텔처럼 번져온 너의 Color” mean in “COLOR”?
In “COLOR” by NCT WISH, “파스텔처럼 번져온 너의 Color” means: Your color spreads over me like pastel. 번져온 combines 번지다 ('to bleed, spread') and 오다 ('to come'), so the color spreads toward the speaker, not just outward. 처럼 means 'like', and comparing it to pastel makes the image soft. The literal version is a pile of words, while the meaning is a loved one's gentle influence.
How do you pronounce “나는 더 달릴 거야 It's our time 찬란한”?
“나는 더 달릴 거야 It's our time 찬란한” from “COLOR” by NCT WISH is romanized as “naneun deo dallil kkeoya It's our time challanhan”: that is how it is actually sung, sound changes included, not the textbook spelling.
Where can I see every line of “COLOR” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Hyunwoo goes through all 63 lines word by word, in sync with the song; the first verse is free and needs no sign-up.
Official music video
The video loads from YouTube only when you press play. YouTube ↗
How we make these breakdowns
theIDOL builds every breakdown with AI assistance and automated checks, and publishes a page only after it passes them. An AI model writes the meaning of each line and the word-by-word glosses from the song's timed lyrics. The pronunciation comes from our own rule-based Korean transcriber, which spells how the words sound when sung, sound changes included, not a letter-by-letter romanization. Pages that fail the audio-sync or translation checks are not published, and we quote only a few key lines. If you spot a mistake, write to support@theidol.ai and we will fix it.
Credits and sources
- Artist
- NCT WISH
- Official video
- SMTOWN · YouTube
Lyrics and music belong to their rights holders. This page quotes no more than four lines for commentary; the translations, pronunciation and explanations are written by theIDOL.