虹色

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 虹色, read にじいろ, describes colors resembling the multiple hues of a rainbow.
• Basic usage: In 雨上がりの水たまりが虹色に光って見えた。, the puddle appears to shimmer with rainbow colors after the rain.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A shimmering effect and multiple colors
  • 虹色に光って describes a shimmering appearance, while 虹色の糸 describes multicolored thread. English iridescent places more emphasis on colors appearing to shift with the light, so that effect should not be imposed on every use of 虹色.