Casual — to friend
Cultural · Seasonal
七夕の短冊は、青・赤・黄・白・黒の五色で書くのが正式なんだって。 — It's said that the proper Tanabata wishes are written on strips of five colors: blue, red, yellow, white, and black. (Cultural · Seasonal, Casual — to friend, JLPT N4)
You
七夕の短冊は、青・赤・黄・白・黒の五色で書くのが正式なんだって。
たなばたのたんざくは、あお・あか・き・しろ・くろのごしきでかくのがせいしきなんだって。
It's said that the proper Tanabata wishes are written on strips of five colors: blue, red, yellow, white, and black.
Romaji: Tanabata no tanzaku wa, ao, aka, ki, shiro, kuro no goshiki de kaku no ga seishiki nan datte. / Reply Romaji: Hontou? Ima made shiranakatta. Imi mo aru no?
Reply
本当？今まで知らなかった。意味もあるの？
ほんとう？いままでしらなかった。いみもあるの？
Really? I never knew. Do they have meanings too?
Gesture & etiquette
If at a Tanabata display, point lightly at each color in turn while explaining—palm open, never index finger pointing. Smile and encourage friend to write a wish: 「願い事、書いてみない？」.
The five colors of Tanabata strips derive from the Chinese five-element philosophy (Wu Xing): blue/green = tree/benevolence, red = fire/courtesy, yellow = earth/trust, white = metal/righteousness, black = water/wisdom. Modern shops often substitute purple for black since black has funeral associations. Each color is traditionally for a specific category of wish.