Knowing the meaning of colour is strategic. Designers make use of the meaning of colours to generate the required effects.
In Western Societies, yellow confers Happiness, Cheeriness, Optimism, warmth, joy, as well as caution and cowardice.
However, do not assume there is a homogeneous use of colours among Western countries. For example, in Germany, yellow represents envy.
In Asian Societies, yellow corresponds with earth, Royalty and Power. In China, yellow generates Yin and Yan implying that yellow is the centre of everything, like the sun. It also used to be an imperial colour. Click here to learn more how yellow was used as an imperial colour in the roofs of palaces and imperial robes, and how it means freedom from worldly care and thus is the colour of monk’s robes.
In Africa, in the Rastafarian colours, yellow represents the wealth of the homeland, Africa, especially the gold. Click here to learn more.