“You are my yellow” might sound like a strange compliment if you don’t like the colour yellow, but trust me, it is. This article is going to tell you everything you need to know about the phrase. What it means, and how it may have originated and developed over time. We will define what is meant by a yellow person and will cover example usage of the term, before moving on to discuss notable instances of the imagery in English literature. Finally, we’ll be rounding off with a discussion of similar and somewhat synonymous phrases and how they compare and contrast.
So without further ado, let’s get straight down to business.
What does the saying “you are my yellow” mean?
Saying “you are my yellow” is describing someone as someone they cannot live without, who provides happiness, support and positivity. It’s much like saying that someone is their sunshine on a dreary day. Someone that they come to depend on in their darkest times.
The phrase can apply to various relationships, from romantic partners to supportive friends or family members.
Where does the saying “you are my yellow” come from? What’s its origin?
There’s no precise origin of the phrase “you are my yellow” but before it became a trend on social media, the metaphor is believed to have developed, or was inspired by, the song called Yellow, released by the band Coldplay, in the year 2000. Chris Martin, who wrote and sang the song stated that the song was about “brightness and hope and devotion”. He also said that it was meant to be intentionally vague so it could apply to anyone the listener loves.
That said however, it wasn’t until the year 2020 that the phrase “you are my yellow” found its current popularity that it gained from memes on social media, and in particular on TikTok. Content creators on TikTok started using the phrase “you are my yellow” to describe a person they hold dear to them. This was a standalone expression of affection and didn’t always reference the song. Rather, it was part of a larger trend where users assigned colors to people in their lives. Much like the “you are my purple” TikTok trend.
The phrase taps into the universal desire for a source of unwavering support and happiness in one’s life, and it serves as a positive affirmation, allowing people to express deep gratitude and affection for the people who make their lives better.
What makes someone a yellow person?
The key factors that can make someone a yellow person can include the following:
- Being a source of joy
- Being uplifting
- Bringing laughter
- Being present during difficult times
- Spreading hope and positivity
- Embodying brightness, warmth and optimism
- Being reliable, dependable and loyal, always being there
- Being reminiscent of sunshine on a miserable day
Example usage of the term “you are my yellow”
As mentioned earlier, the phrase “you are my yellow” is a way of comparing someone to sunshine, with its brightness and warmth. It’s an expression of gratitude and appreciation that doesn’t have to be limited to a significant other or partner. For example, it’s something you might say to your best friend, your friendship group, or to your family members.
You can say “you are my yellow” to a relevant special person in real life, or you can hop on the “you are my yellow” TikTok trend instead (or do both). For TikTok, or on other social media apps you can post slideshows or videos of their yellow person/s with a text overlay or caption such as “This is my yellow,” or then show highlights of memories or features of that loved person.
However, to keep it more private and personal you could choose to send it to your yellow person privately on a messaging app such as Messenger or WhatsApp. In which case you would use the caption “you are my yellow”.
Notable instances of the metaphor in literature and music
Literature
There’s a recent poem from 2021, written by Eliot (known as Marcy on HelloPoetry) that is called “You Are My Yellow”. The poem uses the line “You are my yellow, and I am your blue” and later “Thank you for being my yellow whenever I’m feeling blue.” The usage is associative: “yellow” is a color that means warmth, happiness, brightness; contrasting with “blue,” which often denotes sadness. The poem explicitly treats “yellow” as a metaphor for comfort and solace.
Music
The very same year, 2021, there was also a song released called My Yellow. It came from a South Korean artist group called YELO. In the lyrics, the phrase “you’re my yellow” is used romantically, metaphorically identifying the beloved as something bright, joyful, and essential. “Yellow” here functions as a color-symbol for warmth, light, and love. The metaphor works by attributing qualities of the color yellow such as brightness, sunlight, warmth, hope to a person.
Similar and synonymous phrases comparable with “you are my yellow”
As mentioned earlier, the phrase “you are my yellow” is part of a larger TikTok trend in which content creators assign specific colors to different people in their lives. Here are some examples:
You are my red - someone who holds deep emotional significance, particularly related to passion
You are my purple - someone has positively impacted your life, making it better and more vibrant by simply being present
You are my blue - someone who offers comfort, support, and peace
You are my orange - someone who brings unexpected joy, warmth, and brightness to your life, making it a happier and more exciting place
Final word
So, to sum up, the phrase “you are my yellow” is a way of describing a person as someone’s personal sunshine. It is a metaphor that inherently implies brightness and warmth, especially one that stands out in the dark.
The phrase “you are my yellow” is debatably inspired by the song Yellow by Chris Martin and Coldplay, but the phrase became part of a larger trend in 2020, when people started assigning colours to people in their lives on platforms such as TikTok.
