What Does the Color Pink Symbolize?
The color pink symbolizes love, nurturing, romance and typically feminine qualities. Pink is a combination of red and white, so it is often used as a mixture of meaning for the two. It takes the energetic and passionate qualities of red and blends them with the pure, innocent qualities of white.
According to “The Colour of Sex” author Judy Scott-Kemmis, pink is primarily used to symbolize typically feminine traits, including compassion, nurturing and unconditional love. It is an intimate and romantic color that is intuitive, insightful and empathetic. Unlike red, its more brash and exciting counterpart, pink is calm, passive and non-threatening. It conjures up images of respect, appreciation and admiration. In color psychology, pink is a sign of hope, inspiration and comfort. This ties in with the calming, nurturing hues of pink.
With such nurturing tones, pink can symbolize remembrance of childhood nurturing and comfort. When looking at the past with nostalgia, the saying is “looking through rose-colored glasses.”
Pink is also a symbol of good health. Even common sayings, like “everything is rosy,” come from pink’s qualities of peace and comfort.
Unfortunately, these symbols can also be negative. Pink is passive and can symbolize overly emotional or overly cautious natures. It can also represent a lack of self-worth or power. These negative qualities are the downside of pink being passive, protective and sensitive.
