diff --git a/syntax/awk.nanorc b/syntax/awk.nanorc
index dd490d54..5e329695 100644
--- a/syntax/awk.nanorc
+++ b/syntax/awk.nanorc
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ color magenta "\<(bindtextdomain|dcgettext|dcngettext)\>"
 
 # Strings.
 color brightyellow ""([^"\]|\\.)*""
+# Escape sequences.
+color brick "\\([abfnrtv\/"]|[0-7]{1,3}|x[[:xdigit:]]{1,2}|u[[:xdigit:]]{1,8})"
 # Comments.
 color brightblue "(^|[[:blank:]])#.*"