Colors in Chinese | A Complete Guide
Chinese

Colors in Chinese | A Complete Guide

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Colors play a significant role in our daily lives. They add beauty, evoke emotions, and allow us to express ourselves visually. In Mandarin Chinese, colors hold a similar importance and are an essential part of the language. By understanding colors in Chinese, you can describe objects, express preferences, and engage in colorful conversations. In this article, we’ll explore a wide range of colors in Chinese and provide you with a helpful vocabulary list. At the end of the article, we also explain the meaning in Chinese culture behind certain colors.

The Word for Color in Chinese

The word for “color” in Chinese is “้ก่‰ฒ” (ใ„งใ„ขหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹ – yรกnsรจ). This term combines two characters: “้ก” (ใ„งใ„ขหŠ – yรกn), which means “face” or “appearance,” and “่‰ฒ” (ใ„™ใ„œห‹ – sรจ), which refers to “color.” Together, “้ก่‰ฒ” represents the visual aspect of colors and is commonly used in various contexts to describe and discuss different hues.

color in chinese

Basic Colors in Chinese

Let’s start with the fundamental colors in Chinese. Mastering these colors will give you a solid foundation for further exploration:

ChineseBopomofoPinyinEnglish
็ด…่‰ฒใ„ใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹hรณng sรจred
่—่‰ฒใ„Œใ„ขหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹lรกn sรจblue
้ปƒ่‰ฒใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹huรกng sรจyellow
็ถ ่‰ฒใ„Œใ„ฉห‹ ใ„™ใ„œห‹lวœ sรจgreen
็ดซ่‰ฒใ„—ห‡ ใ„™ใ„œห‹zว sรจpurple
็™ฝ่‰ฒใ„…ใ„žหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹bรกi sรจwhite
ๆฉ™่‰ฒใ„”ใ„ฅหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹chรฉng sรจorange
็ฒ‰็ด…่‰ฒใ„ˆใ„ฃห‡ ใ„ใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹fฤ›n hรณng sรจpink
็ฐ่‰ฒใ„ใ„จใ„Ÿ ใ„™ใ„œห‹huฤซ sรจgray
้ป‘่‰ฒใ„ใ„Ÿ ใ„™ใ„œห‹hฤ“i sรจblack

Expanding Your Chinese Color Vocabulary

To enhance your repertoire of colors, here’s an extended list of hues in Chinese:

ChineseBopomofoPinyinEnglish
่—็ถ ่‰ฒใ„Œใ„ขหŠ ใ„Œใ„ฉ ใ„™ใ„œห‹lรกn lวœ sรจteal
็ดซ่—่‰ฒใ„—ห‡ ใ„Œใ„ขหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹zว lรกn sรจindigo
ๆฃ•่‰ฒใ„—ใ„จใ„ฅ ใ„™ใ„œห‹zลng sรจbrown
ๅ’–ๅ•ก่‰ฒใ„Žใ„š ใ„ˆใ„Ÿ ใ„™ใ„œห‹kฤ fฤ“i sรจbrown
ๆฃ•่ค่‰ฒใ„—ใ„จใ„ฅ ใ„ใ„œห‹ ใ„™ใ„œห‹zลng hรจ sรจtan
้‡‘่‰ฒใ„ใ„งใ„ฃ ใ„™ใ„œห‹jฤซn sรจgold
้Š€่‰ฒใ„งใ„ฃหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹yรญn sรจsilver
ๅค้Š…่‰ฒใ„ใ„จห‡ ใ„Šใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹gว” tรณng sรจbronze
ๆฉ„ๆฌ–่‰ฒใ„ใ„ขห‡ ใ„Œใ„ขห‡ ใ„™ใ„œห‹gวŽn lวŽn sรจolive
้’่‰ฒใ„‘ใ„งใ„ฅ ใ„™ใ„œห‹qฤซng sรจcyan
้›่—่‰ฒใ„‰ใ„งใ„ขห‹ ใ„Œใ„ขหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹diร n lรกn sรจindigo
็Žซ็‘ฐ็ด…่‰ฒใ„‡ใ„ŸหŠ ใ„ใ„จใ„Ÿ ใ„ใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹mรฉi guฤซ hรณng sรจrose
ๅคฉ่—่‰ฒใ„Šใ„งใ„ข ใ„Œใ„ขหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹tiฤn lรกn sรจsky blue
็ฑณ้ปƒ่‰ฒใ„‡ใ„งห‡ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹mว huรกng sรจbeige
้…’็ด…่‰ฒใ„ใ„งใ„กห‡ ใ„ใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹jiว” hรณng sรจmaroon
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Degrees of Colors in Chinese

Apart from basic colors, it’s useful to know how to express lightness or darkness in Chinese:

ChineseBopomofoPinyinEnglish
ๆทบ่‰ฒใ„‘ใ„งใ„ขห‡ ใ„™ใ„œห‹qiวŽn sรจlight color
ๆทฑ่‰ฒใ„•ใ„ฃ ใ„™ใ„œห‹shฤ“n sรจdark color
ๆทบ่—่‰ฒใ„‘ใ„งใ„ขห‡ ใ„Œใ„ขหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹qiวŽn lรกn sรจlight blue
ๆทฑ่—่‰ฒใ„•ใ„ฃ ใ„Œใ„ขหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹shฤ“n lรกn sรจdark blue

You got it! All you have to do is add ๆทบ (ใ„‘ใ„งใ„ขห‡ – qiวŽn) or ๆทฑ (ใ„•ใ„ฃ – shฤ“n) in front of the color name to indicate whether it is light or dark.

Helpful Examples

Now that we have a rich palette of colors, let’s explore some example sentences to see them in action:

  1. ไฝ ๆœ€ๅ–œๆญกๅ“ชๅ€‹้ก่‰ฒ๏ผŸ(ใ„‹ใ„งห‡ ใ„—ใ„จใ„Ÿห‹ ใ„’ใ„งห‡ ใ„ใ„จใ„ข ใ„‹ใ„šห‡ ใ„ใ„œห‹ ใ„งใ„ขหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹ ๏ผŸ) – Which color is your favorite?
  2. ๆˆ‘ๆœ€ๅ–œๆญก ______ใ€‚(ใ„จใ„›ห‡ ใ„—ใ„จใ„Ÿห‹ ใ„’ใ„งห‡ ใ„ใ„จใ„ข ___.) – I like _____ the most.
  3. ไป–็š„็œผ็›ๆ˜ฏไป€้บผ้ก่‰ฒ๏ผŸ(ใ„Šใ„š ใ„‰ใ„œห™ ใ„งใ„ขห‡ ใ„ใ„งใ„ฅ ใ„•ห‹ ใ„•ใ„ฃหŠ ใ„‡ใ„œห™ ใ„งใ„ขหŠ ใ„™ใ„œห‹ ๏ผŸ) – What color are his eyes?
  4. ไป–็š„็œผ็›ๆ˜ฏ_____็š„ใ€‚(ใ„Šใ„š ใ„‰ใ„œห™ ใ„งใ„ขห‡ ใ„ใ„งใ„ฅ ใ„•ห‹ _____ ใ„‰ใ„œห™) – His eyes are _____.

By utilizing these sentences, you can engage in conversations about colors and express your preferences fluently.

Colors & Expressions

The Chinese language is full of expressions that often date back centuries. While those expressions often require a more advanced level of Chinese, knowing some of them will surely impress your Taiwanese or Chinese friends.

ๆˆด็ถ ๅธฝ (ใ„‰ใ„žห‹ ใ„Œใ„ฉ ใ„‡ใ„ ห‹ – Dร ilวœmร o)

This expression literally translates to โ€œwearing a green hatโ€ and is used to refer to someone who has been cheated on; it is the equivalent of the English expression โ€œbeing a cuckold.โ€

้’ๅฐ‘ๅนด (ใ„‘ใ„งใ„ฅ ใ„•ใ„ ห‡ ใ„‹ใ„งใ„ขหŠ – Qฤซngshร oniรกn)

The character ้’ refers to a blue-greenish color associated with youth and freshness in Chinese culture. Thus, the word ้’ๅฐ‘ๅนด means teenager.

้’ๅ‡บๆ–ผ่— (ใ„‘ใ„งใ„ฅ ใ„”ใ„จ ใ„ฉหŠ ใ„Œใ„ขหŠ – Qฤซngchลซyรบlรกn)

This expression comes from the full sentence – ้’ๅ‡บๆ–ผ่—๏ผŒ่€Œๅ‹ๆ–ผ่— – which literally means โ€œThe color blue is made out of indigo but is more vivid than the indigo itself.โ€ This expression is used to mean that the student has surpassed the master.

้ก›ๅ€’้ป‘็™ฝ (ใ„‰ใ„งใ„ข ใ„‰ใ„ ห‡ ใ„ใ„Ÿ ใ„…ใ„žหŠ – DiฤndวŽo hฤ“ibรกi)

This expression literally translates to โ€œconfound black and whiteโ€ and is used to express when someone is confusing right and wrong.

Unlock Your Tongue-Twisting Skills

For an entertaining challenge, try this Chinese tongue twister that will test your pronunciation skills:

ChineseBopomofoPinyin
็ฒ‰็ด…็‰†ไธŠ็•ซ้ณณๅ‡ฐ๏ผŒ้ณณๅ‡ฐ็•ซๅœจ็ฒ‰็ด…็‰†ใ€‚ใ„ˆใ„ฃห‡ ใ„ใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„‘ใ„งใ„คหŠ ใ„•ใ„คห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„šห‹ ใ„ˆใ„ฅห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ๏ผŒ ใ„ˆใ„ฅห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ใ„ใ„จใ„šห‹ ใ„—ใ„žห‹ ใ„ˆใ„ฃห‡ ใ„ใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„‘ใ„งใ„คหŠ ใ€‚Fฤ›nhรณng qiรกng shร ng huร  fรจnghuรกng, fรจnghuรกng huร  zร i fฤ›nhรณng qiรกng.
็ด…้ณณๅ‡ฐใ€็ฒ‰้ณณๅ‡ฐ๏ผŒ็ด…็ฒ‰้ณณๅ‡ฐใ€่Šฑ้ณณๅ‡ฐใ€‚ใ„ใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„ˆใ„ฅห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ใ€ ใ„ˆใ„ฃห‡ ใ„ˆใ„ฅห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ๏ผŒ ใ„ใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„ˆใ„ฃห‡ ใ„ˆใ„ฅห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ใ€ ใ„ใ„จใ„š ใ„ˆใ„ฅห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ใ€‚Hรณng fรจnghuรกng, fฤ›n fรจnghuรกng, hรณngfฤ›n fรจnghuรกng, huฤ fรจnghuรกng.
็ด…้ณณๅ‡ฐ๏ผŒ้ปƒ้ณณๅ‡ฐ๏ผŒ็ด…็ฒ‰้ณณๅ‡ฐ๏ผŒ็ฒ‰็ด…้ณณๅ‡ฐ๏ผŒ่Šฑ็ฒ‰่Šฑ้ณณๅ‡ฐใ€‚ใ„ใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„ˆใ„ฅห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ๏ผŒ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ใ„ˆใ„ฅห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ๏ผŒ ใ„ใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„ˆใ„ฃห‡ ใ„ˆใ„ฅห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ๏ผŒ ใ„ˆใ„ฃห‡ ใ„ใ„จใ„ฅหŠ ใ„ˆใ„ฅห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ๏ผŒ ใ„ใ„จใ„š ใ„ˆใ„ฃห‡ ใ„ใ„จใ„š ใ„ˆใ„ฅห‹ ใ„ใ„จใ„คหŠ ใ€‚Hรณng fรจnghuรกng, huรกng fรจnghuรกng, hรณngfฤ›n fรจnghuรกng, fฤ›nhรณng fรจnghuรกng, huฤfฤ›n huฤ fรจnghuรกng.

This tongue-twister roughly translates as follow;

โ€œPainting a phoenix on a pink wall, painting a phoenix on a pink wall. Red phoenix, pink phoenix, pink phoenix, flower phoenix. Red phoenix, yellow phoenix, pink phoenix, pink phoenix, pollen flower phoenix.โ€

Meaning of Colors in Chinese Culture

Red – ็ด…่‰ฒ

The color red is a symbol of prosperity and happiness. It is the most representative color in China and, to some extent, in Taiwan as well. This color is often seen in the most important cultural symbols and events such as weddings, births, and during the Lunar New Year.

Yellow – ้ปƒ่‰ฒ

The color yellow is a symbol of wealth and nobility, and for a very long time, it was solely reserved for the Emperor. It is a very important color for Chinese people, as it is believed that Chinese civilization emerged along the Yellow River (้ปƒๆฒณ).

Green – ็ถ ่‰ฒ

Green, similarly to the West, is a color representing cleanliness and health. It is often used by pharmacies and hospitals. Culturally, the color is also associated with infidelity, so be very careful before giving a green gift to your Taiwanese friend.

Black – ้ป‘่‰ฒ

Traditionally, the color black had a positive image, often being worn by the imperial staff. However, in todayโ€™s society, it is associated with secrecy and illegal activities. For example, the word for mafia in Chinese is ้ป‘ๆ‰‹้ปจ, literally meaning โ€œblack hands party.โ€

White – ็™ฝ่‰ฒ

This one is very interesting and requires careful consideration. While in the West, white is associated with marriage, in China and Taiwan, it is associated with funerals. It is a color associated with Heaven.

Colors bring vibrancy and expressiveness to any language, and Mandarin Chinese is no exception. By familiarizing yourself with colors in Chinese, you unlock a whole new world of communication. Whether you’re describing objects, expressing preferences, or engaging in colorful conversations, understanding colors is essential. So, let the rich hues of Chinese colors inspire you to embrace the beauty of language and add a splash of color to your linguistic journey.

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