What is the etymology of 赤の他人? > — He's a total stranger to me How did "red stranger" come to mean "total stranger" in Japanese? Is there anything that makes this expression make sense more than "That's just what it means"?

The color term `` 'red' is historically related to `` 'bright, clear' or `` 'evident'. From this, the `` in the expressions such as ``, ``, or `` means 'clear, complete'. This will make them mean 'complete stranger', 'complete lie', 'complete shameness'.