[tlhIngan Hol] color entry at kli.org

[Steven Boozer]

  (KGT 81f.):   Compared to Federation Standard, Klingon terminology associated with
   colors is rather limited. ... There is, however, a verb, {nguv}, which means something
   like be "dyed, stained, tinted", though it is seldom used except in the phrase {chay' 
   nguv} ("How is [it] tinted?") or ... in the form {nguvmoH} ("dye, tint, stain"; that is,
   "cause to be dyed," etc.) -- for example, {ret'aq nguvmoH} ("He/she stains the knife
   handle").

I understood "seldom used except in the phrase {chay' nguv}" as meaning this is the idiomatic way Klingons ask about specific colors --  so *{chay' nguv be'vam mInDu'?} would be perfectly acceptable.  While "be dyed, stained, tinted" might imply artificial, modified or added color in English, perhaps it doesn't in Klingon.  

But if you don't like {nguv}, try {chum} "be colorful" instead:  *{chay' chum?} "How is it colorful?  In what way is it colorful?"  So far, the only things we know for certain are {chum} are sunrise {jajlo’ chum} ("colorful dawn") and sunset {tlhom chum} ("colorful dusk").  (OTOH {chum} "be colorful" may just be the opposite of {Dem} "be clear, transparent, uncolored".)

Voragh

----------------------------------------Original Message---------------------------------------------
From: mayqel qunen'oS

So, I meet a friend of mine who says: "michael, I met a woman who has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen".
And me, wanting to ask "seriously ? what color are they ?", I don't have a way to ask because "klingons don't have a word for color".
Or I can say something like "how are they dyed/stained/tinted" ?
But the jay' problem is, that I'm not asking if she wears make-up..