Definition
Permission or approval to proceed with a plan or project. It signals that obstacles have been removed and action can begin.
Etymology
The phrase comes from traffic signals, where green lights indicate it's safe to proceed. This color-coded system was standardized in the early 20th century, and the metaphorical use followed as traffic lights became universally understood symbols.
Kelly Says
The green light metaphor is so powerful because it taps into our learned response to traffic signals - we automatically associate green with 'go' and safety to proceed. This makes the phrase instantly comprehensible across cultures that use similar traffic systems, creating a nearly universal business and project management metaphor.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
ירוקה 光
yee-ro-ka g-wo-t
ARالعربية
ضوء أخضر
dhu'a 'akhdar
BNবাংলা
সবুজ আলো
so-bu-j a-lo
CACatalà
llum vermell
loom ver-mell
CSČeština
zelená světla
ze-le-na sh-vet-la
DADansk
grønt lys
groent lis
DEDeutsch
grünes Licht
groo-nes likht
ELΕλληνικά
πράσινο φως
pra-si-no fos
ESEspañol
luz verde
loos ver-deh
FAفارسی
نور سبز
noor seeb
FISuomi
vihreä valo
vihreä va-lo
FRFrançais
feux vert
føø vert
GUGU
हरિત દિવ
ha-ri-t di-v
HAHA
haske gida
has-ke gi-da
HEעברית
אור ירוק
or y-rook
HIहिन्दी
हरा लाइट
haara laait
HUMagyar
zöld fény
zold fe-ny
IDBahasa Indonesia
lampu hijau
lam-poo hee-jau
IGIG
ozi ọkpụkpụ
o-zi ok-pu-ku-pu
ITItaliano
luce verde
loo-che ver-deh
JA日本語
緑の信号
midori no shin-go
KKKK
жасыл жарык
jaz-yl ja-ryq
KMKM
ពន្លឺបៃតង
pon-l-u bai-ta-ng
KO한국어
녹색 신호등
nok-saek sin-ho-deong
MRMR
हरित प्रकाश
ha-ri-t pra-kaash
MSBahasa Melayu
lampu hijau
lam-poo hee-jau
MYမြန်မာ
ရွှေ လင်း
shwe lin
NLNederlands
groen licht
gro-en likht
NONorsk
grønt lys
groent liys
PAPA
ਸੁੰਨੀ ਰੌਸ਼ਨੀ
sun-nee ro-sh-nee
PLPolski
zielone światło
zje-lo-ne sh-vjat-lo
PTPortuguês
luz verde
loos ver-deh
RORomână
lumină verde
loo-mi-na ver-deh
RUРусский
зелёный свет
zelyonyy svet
SVSvenska
grönt ljus
groent loo-s
SWKiswahili
tazama kijani
ta-za-ma kee-ja-ni
TAதமிழ்
பச்சை ஒளி
pachai oli
TEతెలుగు
పసుపు వెలుగు
pasupu velugu
TLTL
berde na ilaw
ber-deh na ee-law
TRTürkçe
yeşil ışık
ye-şil i-sh-ik
UKУкраїнська
зелений світло
ze-le-nii svitlo
URاردو
نیلے رنگ
nee-lay rang
VITiếng Việt
đèn xanh
denh xanh
YOYO
oludi ọlọ́pọ́
o-loo-di o-lo-po
ZUZU
isigrini
ee-si-gri-ni