Do Numbers Have Colors?

[Curiosity he/him]

I know that I associate colors with certain numbers. While I do think of multi-digit numbers as having colors, the basis for all of it is firmly established in the colors for the ten digits. I have asked a lot of people whether they do the same. So far, I have only met one or two people who do this as strongly as I do. However, I want to see what all of you will say. 

 

I will present the colors that I associate with numbers below in white text, but I want you to make up your mind first about what colors you think the numbers are before you look at mine, maybe even write them down. 

 

My colors are below:

0 - clear/black

1 - white

2 - blue

3 - yellowish green

4 - red

5 - orange

6 - dark teal

7 - dark brown

8 - very dark purple, almost black

9 - black

 

 

If you don't understand what I'm talking about, Wikipedia has a good article on it here.

 

This Numberphile video (and this one) does a nicer, less scientific job of explaining the experience of synesthesia. 

 

I have also heard of people assigning personalities and genders to numbers, so comment away!

[Mailliw73 he/him]

Interesting. I do not do this, but I do sometimes assign numbers sounds. If I read something that has a number in it, like a license plate, I may read the two with a t sound in my head. The nine has the n sound and seven/five have the s sound.

[Kobold King he/him]

This is a very cool phenomenon.

 

I learned my numbers with a nice set of Cuisenaire blocks. They're meant to physically illustrate various mathmatical concepts; for instance, there are white little cubes that each represent "1," and the "2" block is twice its size. You can use them to work out simple addition problems, like showing how 2 + 5 = 7.

 

Anyway, each number block has a distinctive color, which has led to me associating the Cuisenaire colors with numbers to this day. So the numbers, to me, have the following colors:

 

1 - white

 

2 - red

 

3 - light green

 

4 - purple

 

5 - yellow

 

6 - dark green

 

7 - black

 

8 - brown

 

9 - blue

 

10 - orange

[Curiosity he/him]

It never ceases to amaze me how my brain goes "No, no, no!" when I read someone else's number-colors. "How do you get red for 2? It doesn't make sense!"

 

But that's the beauty of it, isn't it?

[Kobold King he/him]

It never ceases to amaze me how my brain goes "No, no, no!" when I read someone else's number-colors. "How do you get red for 2? It doesn't make sense!"

 

But that's the beauty of it, isn't it?

 

Yours don't make any more sense to me.

 

Here's a picture of Cuisenaire rods, by the way.

 

[Guest]

It never ceases to amaze me how my brain goes "No, no, no!" when I read someone else's number-colors. "How do you get red for 2? It doesn't make sense!"

 

But that's the beauty of it, isn't it?

 

I am sorry, but 2 IS red. I just cannot see a 2 in a different color

[traceria she/her]

You know, I never tried associating colors with numbers, but I've always felt they each had their own personalities.  A few years ago some friends and I were talking about a musician we all like, Andrew Bird, and synesthesia because he uses it in his song writing.  It made me realize I make associations, too, if to a lesser degree.  So, here's my list after some brief thought:

 

0 - white

1 - tan/yellow

2 - aqua/turquoise blue

3 - red

4 - green

5 - maroon

6 - orange

7 - blue

8 - purple

9 - orange again, oddly enough

 

I've never worked with Cuisenaire rods before, so this is purely my brain's work.    Curiosity, looks like we overlap on 2 and 8!

[Curiosity he/him]

You know, I never tried associating colors with numbers, but I've always felt they each had their own personalities.  A few years ago some friends and I were talking about a musician we all like, Andrew Bird, and synesthesia because he uses it in his song writing.  It made me realize I make associations, too, if to a lesser degree.  So, here's my list after some brief thought:

 

0 - white

1 - tan/yellow

2 - aqua/turquoise blue

3 - red

4 - green

5 - maroon

6 - orange

7 - blue

8 - purple

9 - orange again, oddly enough

 

I've never worked with Cuisenaire rods before, so this is purely my brain's work.    Curiosity, looks like we overlap on 2 and 8!

 

 

That is actually the most unique list I have ever seen. That's cool!

[traceria she/her]

That is actually the most unique list I have ever seen. That's cool!

 

Is there a kind of average list most people tend to go for?  Now I'm all curious!

[Voidus]

Numbers definitely have personalities for me but I've never had colour association, that just seems really weird to me :S

[Argent he/him]

For the first time in my life I feel left out because I have a "normal" brain. It's a remarkable feeling.

[Left he/him]

I like some number and dislike others, but mostly I'm with Argent.

[Ashiok]

I'm gonna have to be the odd one out here and say that I associate numbers with other numbers and like/dislike some more than others.

Two is like Three, four is like nine, two is like four, seven is annoying, weird stuff like that.

 

No colors, but associations nonetheless... 

Edited August 25, 2014 by Ashiok

[Voidus]

How could you think seven is annoying? Seven is hillarious.

[Curiosity he/him]

Seven is cool and very... How do I say it? Neat, I guess. I might use tidy as well. OK, I guess that my numbers have personalities too. One is innocent and mischievous; two is intelligent, but a little bit naïve; three is slightly out of control; four nutures one, two, and three and wishes five would help; five wants to make friends with bigger numbers (gets along well with 10); six looks up to eight and is slightly afraid of nine... 

 

Uh... I guess that sounds crazy. But it makes sense to me. Somehow. 

[Voidus]

I feel like someone's describing my friends but getting their personalities all wrong. :S

[Fatebreaker he/him]

For me 8 is octarine.

[Tien'sPetLurg she/her]

I have a mental connection between numbers and colors. It took me ages to figure out why: When I was little, I memorized a color-by-numbers coloring book. The back side of the book had the chart. I memorized it so I didn't have to flip back and forth. This set me up for a lifetime of number/color association. The ones in bold are deeply engrained. I'm a little more flexible on some of the other colors.

1. yellow
2. red
3. orange
4. blue
5. black
6. green
7. white
8. purple
9. brown

To this day, if I see blue and green together, I think 10 and somehow life makes sense to me.

I love how none of the lists are Not roygbiv. The numerics don't match how they fall on the color wheel. 

Edited August 25, 2014 by Tien'sPetLurg

[traceria she/her]

I'm gonna have to be the odd one out here and say that I associate numbers with other numbers and like/dislike some more than others.

Two is like Three, four is like nine, two is like four, seven is annoying, weird stuff like that.

 

No colors, but associations nonetheless... 

I do that, too, but I find my associations are closer to those of Curiosity's here.  It was strange to make a color list for me because my associations are stronger to personalities and my like/dislike of the number, like you've said.

[Voidus]

0-Aloof, but not mean
1- Annoying, crowds everyone
2- My favourite, 2 is quiet, gets along well with most of the others
3- A bit jealous I'd say, doesn't get along with others
4- A bit... flirty?
5- baby of the group, everyone loves five
6- Always serious, tries to get everyone to behave.
7- The crazy one, absolutely hillarious.
8- Sort of like 2's older brother, quiet but still associates with others a lot.
9- Hates six, bit of a teachers pet.
10-  Life of the party, gets on with everyone and makes sure no one's too mad.

[Atilium she/her]

Seven is cool and very... How do I say it? Neat, I guess. I might use tidy as well. OK, I guess that my numbers have personalities too. One is innocent and mischievous; two is intelligent, but a little bit naïve; three is slightly out of control; four nutures one, two, and three and wishes five would help; five wants to make friends with bigger numbers (gets along well with 10); six looks up to eight and is slightly afraid of nine... 

 

Uh... I guess that sounds crazy. But it makes sense to me. Somehow. 

 Why is six afraid of seven? Because seven eight nine. i couldnt resist

 

anyway, no, I don;t associate numbers with anything, but my one friend does associate sounds with a feel - like, the sound of the washing machine feels like a large rough wooden block. Clapping is a scratchy horrible feel that she hates. Sometimes she will even avoid a certain person because their voice feels uncomfortable.