色

See also: 巴

色	U+8272, 色 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8272

← 艱
[U+8271]

CJK Unified Ideographs

艳 →
[U+8273]

⾊	U+2F8A, ⾊ KANGXI RADICAL COLOR

← ⾉
[U+2F89]

Kangxi Radicals

⾋ →
[U+2F8B]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

色 (Kangxi radical 139, 色+0, 6 strokes, cangjie input 弓日山 (NAU), four-corner 2771₇, composition ⿱⺈巴)

Kangxi radical #139, ⾊.
Shuowen Jiezi radical №340

Derived characters

Appendix:Chinese radical/色
𠈜, 𬻖, 𠲅, 𫵺, 𢙚, 𢬘, 𣴊, 𨹔, 𨒶, 栬, 𥅺, 𥒍, 絶(绝), 𬚐, 赩, 𨉆, 𨋭, 𨠶, 銫(铯), 靘, 𤧾, 𮪀, 𫙙, 䵥, 𪗼
𨛉, 𪁅, 𤈖, 𪵼, 𤶋
脃 (Exception: Only for mainland China character. Other regions contain ⿱刀巴 instead of 色)

Chinese

simp. and trad.		色
alternative forms		𢒸𣤻骰 “die” 㐌 erroneous

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 色
Spring and Autumn	Warring States		Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)		Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Ancient script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (色) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
色	*srɯɡ
赩	*qʰrɯɡ

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 爪 (“claw; hand”) + 卩 (“kneeling person”) – complexion.

Shuowen interprets this character as an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 人 (“person; human”) + 卩 (“etiquette”) – complexion.

Compare 印, 抑.

Etymology

Possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-r(j)ak ~ *g-jak (“ashamed; shy”), whence Burmese ရှက် (hrak, “ashamed; shy”), Japhug tɤ-zraʁ (“shame”) (Schuessler, 2007; Jacques, 2015b).

Alternatively, Schuessler (2007) connects this word to Mizo sâr (“prismatic colours seen in the sky in fine weather; to be healthy-looking, ruddy”), which would point to a form *sər-k from which the Old Chinese was derived.

彩 (OC *s.r̥ˤəʔ, “colour”) may be a dialectal variant (Baxter, 1992; Baxter and Sagart, 2014).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): sè, shǎi, shè (se⁴, shai³, she⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄙㄜˋ, ㄕㄞˇ, ㄕㄜˋ
(Chengdu, SP): se²
(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): сый (sɨy, II)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou, Jyutping): sik¹
(Taishan, Wiktionary): set²
Gan (Wiktionary): set⁶
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): set
(Meixian, Guangdong): sêd⁵
Jin (Wiktionary): sah⁴ / seh⁴
Min Bei (KCR): să̤
Min Dong (BUC): sáik
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): sek / siak
(Teochew, Peng'im): sêg⁴
Wu (Wiktionary): seq (T4)
Xiang (Wiktionary): se⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, literary, standard in Mainland and Taiwan)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: sè
  - Zhuyin: ㄙㄜˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: sè
  - Wade–Giles: sê⁴
  - Yale: sè
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: seh
  - Palladius: сэ (sɛ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɤ⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese, colloquial, standard in Mainland and Taiwan)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: shǎi
  - Zhuyin: ㄕㄞˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: shǎi
  - Wade–Giles: shai³
  - Yale: shǎi
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shae
  - Palladius: шай (šaj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂaɪ̯²¹⁴/
- (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed) (色兒／色儿)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: shǎir
  - Zhuyin: ㄕㄞˇㄦ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: shǎir
  - Wade–Giles: shairh³
  - Yale: shǎir
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shaal
  - Palladius: шайр (šajr)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɑɻ²¹⁴/
- (Standard Chinese, colloquial, variant)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: shè
  - Zhuyin: ㄕㄜˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: shè
  - Wade–Giles: shê⁴
  - Yale: shè
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sheh
  - Palladius: шэ (šɛ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɤ⁵¹/

Note:

sè - all senses except “die”;
shǎi - “die; colour”;
shǎir - “colour”;
shè - “lust”.

- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: se²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: se
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɛ²¹/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: сый (sɨy, II)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sei⁵¹/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: sik¹
  - Yale: sīk
  - Cantonese Pinyin: sik⁷
  - Guangdong Romanization: xig¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɪk̚⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: set²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /set̚⁵⁵/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: set⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɛt̚⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: set
  - Hakka Romanization System: sed`
  - Hagfa Pinyim: sed⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /set̚²/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: sêd⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /sɛt̚¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: sah⁴ / seh⁴
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /saʔ²/, /səʔ²/

Note:

sah4 - vernacular;
seh4 - literary.

Min Bei
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: să̤
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɛ²⁴/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: sáik
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /saiʔ²⁴/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sek
  - Tâi-lô: sik
  - Phofsit Daibuun: seg
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /ɕiɪk̚³²/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siak
  - Tâi-lô: siak
  - Phofsit Daibuun: siag
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /ɕiak̚⁵/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: sêg⁴
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sek
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sek̚²/
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: seq (T4)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /səʔ⁵⁵/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: se⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɤ̞²⁴/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 色
Mandarin	Beijing	/sɤ⁵¹/ /ʂai²¹⁴/
	Harbin	/ʂai²¹³/ /sai²¹³/ /sɤ⁵³/
	Tianjin	/sai¹³/ /sɤ⁵³/
	Jinan	/sə²¹³/ /ʂei²¹³/
	Qingdao	/ʂe⁵⁵/
	Zhengzhou	/ʂɛ²⁴/
	Xi'an	/sei²¹/
	Xining	/sɨ⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/sə¹³/
	Lanzhou	/ʂə¹³/
	Ürümqi	/sɤ⁵¹/ /sei⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/sɤ²¹³/
	Chengdu	/se³¹/
	Guiyang	/sɛ²¹/
	Kunming	/sə³¹/
	Nanjing	/səʔ⁵/
	Hefei	/sɐʔ⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/saʔ²/
	Pingyao	/sʌʔ¹³/
	Hohhot	/saʔ⁴³/
Wu	Shanghai	/səʔ⁵/
	Suzhou	/səʔ⁵/
	Hangzhou	/səʔ⁵/
	Wenzhou	/se²¹³/
Hui	Shexian	/sɛʔ²¹/
Hui	Tunxi	/sa⁵/
Xiang	Changsha	/sə²⁴/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/sæ²⁴/
Gan	Nanchang	/sɛʔ⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/set̚¹/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/set̚²²/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/sek̚⁵/
	Nanning	/sek̚⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/sɐk̚⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Min Nan)	/sik̚³²/
	Fuzhou (Min Dong)	/saiʔ²³/
	Jian'ou (Min Bei)	/sɛ²⁴/
	Shantou (Min Nan)	/sek̚²/
	Haikou (Min Nan)	/tek̚⁵/

Middle Chinese: /ʃɨk̚/

Rime
Character	色
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	生 (21)
Final (韻)	蒸 (134)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	所力切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʃɨk̚/
Pan Wuyun	/ʃɨk̚/
Shao Rongfen	/ʃiek̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʂik̚/
Li Rong	/ʃiək̚/
Wang Li	/ʃĭək̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/ʂi̯ək̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	she
Expected Cantonese Reflex	sik¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*s.rək/
(Zhengzhang): /*srɯɡ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	色
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	sè
Middle Chinese	‹ srik ›
Old Chinese	/*s.rək/
English	color; countenance
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	色
Reading #	1/1
No.	10989
Phonetic component	色
Rime group	職
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	色
Old Chinese	/*srɯɡ/

Definitions

色

color; tint; hue; shade
顏色／颜色 ― yánsè ― color
顏色兒／颜色儿 ― yánshǎir ― color
紅色／红色 ― hóngsè ― red
四色定理 ― sì sè dìnglǐ ― four color theorem
^⁜ look; expression
臉色／脸色 ― liǎnsè ― facial expression
- 子曰：「巧言令色，鮮矣仁。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  子曰：“巧言令色，鲜矣仁。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Zǐyuē: “Qiǎoyánlìngsè, xiǎn yǐ rén.” [Pinyin]
  The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue."
^⁜ scenery; circumstance
景色 ― jǐngsè ― scenery
夜色 ― yèsè ― night scenery
kind; sort
貨色／货色 ― huòsè ― goods; stuff; trash; rubbish; quality of goods; specification
feminine charm; beauty
姿色 ― zīsè ― good looks (of women)
lust; sexual desire
好色 ― hàosè ― to lust for women
色情 ― sèqíng ― pornography; sexual desire
(colloquial) perverted; being a pervert; lecherous
theatrical role (Can we add an example for this sense?)
metallic content
成色 ― chéngsè ― purity (of a precious metal in an alloy)
die (a cube with numbers or symbols on each side, used in games of chance) (Classifier: 粒 c)
色子 ― shǎizi ― die
(Buddhism) rūpa (form; material element; form of existence; etc.)
色即是空，空即是色。 [MSC, trad. and simp.]
Sè jí shì kōng, kōng jí shì sè. [Pinyin]
Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.
(transgender slang) Short for 色普龍／色普龙; cypro (cyproterone acetate)
- 各位靠補+色hrt的朋友們請注意檢測自己的E2/E1比例 [MSC, trad.]
  各位靠补+色hrt的朋友们请注意检测自己的E2/E1比例 [MSC, simp.]
  From: 2020 November 28, KhloeKkkkkkkk 的想法: 各位靠补+色hrt的朋友们请注意检测自己的… - 知乎
  gèwèi kào bǔ + sè hrt de péngyǒu men qǐng zhùyì jiǎncè zìjǐ de E2 / E1 bǐlì [Pinyin]
  (please add an English translation of this example)
a surname

Synonyms

(color): 顏／颜 (yán)
(perverted):

Dialectal synonyms of 好色 (“lecherous; fond of women”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		好色
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		好色
Mandarin	Taiwan	好色, 色
	Harbin	花
	Singapore	色
Cantonese	Guangzhou	鹹濕
	Hong Kong	鹹濕, 淫
	Taishan	鹹濕
	Dongguan	鹹濕
	Yangjiang	鹹濕
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	鹹濕 outside the family, 扒灰 within the family
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	鹹濕
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	鹹濕
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	鹹濕
	Singapore (Guangfu)	鹹濕
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	鹹濕
	Móng Cái	鹹濕 outside the family, 扒灰 within the family
Hakka	Meixian	花, 好色, 鹹濕
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	鹹濕, 豺
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	痴哥
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	豬哥
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	痴哥
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	痴哥
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	痴哥
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	豬哥
	Senai (Hepo)	鹹濕
Min Dong	Fuzhou	草鞋
Min Nan	Xiamen	五枝鬚, 臭臊神, 豬哥神, 𪁎哥
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	豬哥
	Quanzhou	五枝鬚, 臭臊神, 豬哥神
	Zhangzhou	五枝鬚, 臭臊神, 豬哥神, 𪁎哥, 𪁎, 貓神, 貓
	Taipei	痴哥
	Kaohsiung	不四鬼
	Yilan	豬哥, 痴哥
	Changhua (Lukang)	好色
	Taichung	風流
	Taichung (Wuqi)	好色
	Tainan	𪁎哥
	Taitung	豬哥
	Hsinchu	豬哥形
	Penghu (Magong)	𪁎哥
	Singapore (Hokkien)	痴哥, 豬哥
	Manila (Hokkien)	五枝鬚, 愛查某
	Shantou	好色, 痴哥
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	鹹濕

(die):

Dialectal synonyms of 骰子 (“die (used in games of chance)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		骰子
Mandarin	Beijing	色子
	Taiwan	色子
	Harbin	色子
	Yantai (Muping)	色子
	Jinan	色子
	Luoyang	色子, 色兒
	Wanrong	色子
	Xi'an	色子
	Yinchuan	色子
	Lanzhou	色子
	Ürümqi	色子
	Wuhan	色子
	Chengdu	色子
	Guiyang	色子
	Liuzhou	色子
	Yangzhou	猴子
	Nanjing	猴兒, 猴子
	Nantong	色兒
	Singapore	骰子
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	色子
	Masanchin (Shaanxi Dungan)	色子
Cantonese	Guangzhou	色仔
	Hong Kong	色仔, 色
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	色仔
	Macau	色仔
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	色仔
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	色仔
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	色仔
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	色
	Foshan	色仔
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	色仔
	Foshan (Shunde)	色仔
	Foshan (Sanshui)	色仔
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	色子
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	色仔
	Zhuhai (Qianshan)	色仔
	Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)	色仔
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	色仔
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	色仔
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	色仔
	Taishan	色仔
	Kaiping (Chikan)	色仔
	Enping (Niujiang)	色仔
	Heshan (Yayao)	色仔
	Dongguan	色仔
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	色仔
Gan	Nanchang	色子
	Lichuan	色子
	Pingxiang	色子
Hakka	Meixian	骰仔
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	色仔
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	色仔
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	色仔
	Conghua (Lütian)	色仔
	Yudu	色子
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	骰仔, 猴仔, 寶斗仁
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	骰仔
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	骰仔, 猴仔, 寶斗仁
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	十八啦
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	輾豆
Huizhou	Jixi	寶子
Jin	Taiyuan	色兒
Jin	Xinzhou	色兒
Min Bei	Jian'ou	骰仔
Min Dong	Fuzhou	骰
Min Nan	Xiamen	骰仔, 豆仔
	Quanzhou	骰仔, 豆仔
	Zhangzhou	骰仔, 豆仔
	Taipei	救十八
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	膏十八仔
	Kaohsiung	撚骰仔
	Yilan	撚骰仔
	Changhua (Lukang)	撚骰仔
	Taichung	十八骰仔
	Tainan	撚寶
	Hsinchu	骰九
	Kinmen	骰仔
	Penghu (Magong)	骰仔
	Manila (Hokkien)	骰仔
	Jieyang	骰
	Leizhou	骰
	Haikou	色囝
Zhongshan Min	Shaxi (Longdu)	色囝
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	色子
Wu	Shanghai	骰子
	Shanghai (Chongming)	骰子
	Suzhou	骰子
	Danyang	骰子
	Hangzhou	骰子
	Ningbo	色子
	Wenzhou	骰子
Xiang	Changsha	色子
Xiang	Loudi	骰子

Compounds

Derived terms from 色

一色
七色
七色板
三原色
三色版
三色菫
上色
丟眼色／丢眼色
乳白色
互補色／互补色
五光十色
五色
五色筆／五色笔
交配色
亮色調／亮色调
令色
以色列
件色
作色
使眼色
保護色／保护色
倦色
做眼色
儉色／俭色
元色
光色
八色鳥／八色鸟
出色
分色
分色鏡／分色镜
削色
前進色／前进色
印色
即色宗
原色
厲色／厉色
叉色
古銅色／古铜色
各色
合色鞋
同類色／同类色
名色
吝色
咖啡色
喜色
單色／单色
單色瓷／单色瓷
嗔色
國色／国色
土色
土黃色／土黄色
基色
塗色／涂色
增色
壞色衣／坏色衣
夜色
天色
天藍色／天蓝色
失色
套色
女色
好色
妃色
姿色
字一色
容色
寒暖色
寒色
察言觀色／察言观色
察顏觀色／察颜观色
寶藍色／宝蓝色
對比色／对比色
小腳色／小脚色
山色
布色
平色
底色
形形色色
形色
彩色
彩色照
彩色片
彩色筆／彩色笔
後退色／后退色
得色
德色
怒色
怡色
性色
悅色／悦色
情色
愉色
意色
愧色
慍色／愠色
慚色／惭色
憂色／忧色
憊色／惫色
懼色／惧色
成色
成色劑／成色剂
戰色／战色
才色
打眼色
托色
把色
折色
捎色
掉色
擲色／掷色
新色

旦色
星色
春色
景色
暖色調／暖色调
暗色
暝色
暮色
曉色／晓色
曙色
月色
有眼色
有色
有起色
服色
本色
本色銀／本色银
染色
染色體／染色体
柔色
栗色
桃色
棕色
棕色種／棕色种
棗紅色／枣红色
極色／极色
橙色
正色
氣色／气色
沒眼色／没眼色
沒顏色／没颜色
注色
流行色
淡色
清一色
減色／减色
湖色
漁色／渔色
潤色／润色
濾色鏡／滤色镜
火色
灰色
無色／无色
無色界／无色界
燈色／灯色
牙色
物色
特色
玉色
琥珀色
生色
男色
白色
白色體／白色体
百色縣／百色县
目色
眼色
神色
秀色
秋色
稔色
管色譜／管色谱
米色
米黃色／米黄色
粉色
紅色／红色
純色／纯色
素色
紫色
絕色／绝色
綠一色／绿一色
綠色／绿色
美色
老三色
聲色／声色
肉色
脫色／脱色
腳色／脚色
膚色／肤色
臉色／脸色
色也克
色光
色厲／色厉
色厲內荏／色厉内荏
色子
色差
色度
色弱
色彈／色弹
色彩
色心
色思溫／色思温
色情
色情狂
色慾／色欲
色戒
色拉
色撓／色挠
色散
色數兒／色数儿
色旦
色智
色格孜庫勒／色格孜库勒
色樣／色样
色水
色溫／色温
色澤／色泽
色然
色狼
色環／色环

色界
色目
色目人
色盲
色盲表
色相
色瞇瞇／色眯眯
色笑
色筆／色笔
色系
色素
色膽／色胆
色色
色荒
色藝／色艺
色覺／色觉
色認／色认
色調／色调
色譜／色谱
色身
色迷
色迷迷
色長／色长
色養／色养
色鬼
花色
茶色
茶褐色
菜色
落色
著色／着色
藍色／蓝色
藕色
蜚色
蜜色
血色
行色
衒色
補色／补色
複色光／复色光
褐色
褪色
觀神色／观神色
觀色／观色
觀風色／观风色
角色
記色／记色
設色／设色
詞色／词色
詭色／诡色
誘惑色／诱惑色
調眼色／调眼色
調色／调色
調色板／调色板
調色盤／调色盘
諸色／诸色
警戒色
變色／变色
變色筆／变色笔
變色鏡／变色镜
變色龍／变色龙
豔色／艳色
貨色／货色
賭色／赌色
赤色
赧色
走色
起色
足色
辟色
辨色
辭色／辞色
退色
遜色／逊色
遞眼色／递眼色
遽色
鄰近色／邻近色
配色
酒色
醬色／酱色
采色
金色
金黃色／金黄色
銀灰色／银灰色
銀白色／银白色
銀色／银色
錆色／锖色
鐵灰色／铁灰色
間色／间色
隔夜色
雕色
雜色／杂色
難色／难色
霽色／霁色
面色
音色
顏色／颜色
顏色兒／颜色儿
風色／风色
飢色／饥色
香色
駝色／驼色
騙色／骗色
驕色／骄色
體色／体色
鵝黃色／鹅黄色
黃色／黄色
黃色電影／黄色电影
黑色
黑色素

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (色):

→ Japanese: 色(しき) (shiki); 色(しょく) (shoku)
→ Korean: 색(色) (saek)
→ Vietnamese: sắc (色)

References

“色”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學／香港中文大学 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A03427
“Entry #2612”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (in Chinese and Min Nan), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2011.

Japanese

Stroke order

Kanji

色

(grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

Go-on: しき (shiki, Jōyō)
Kan-on: しょく (shoku, Jōyō)
Kun: いろ (iro, 色, Jōyō); いろえ (iroe, 色)^{←いろへ (irofe, historical)}
Nanori: しか (shika); しこ (shiko)

Compounds

字(ツー)一(イー)色(ソー) (tsūīsō)
緑(リュー)一(イー)色(ソー) (ryūīsō)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
色
いろ Grade: 2
kun’yomi

⟨iro₂⟩ → */irə/ → /iro/

From Old Japanese.

First attested in the Nihon Shoki with the meaning of color.[1] Senses referring to a person's emotions also appear quite early on. The romance or sex senses appear from the 900s, apparently an influence from Chinese usage,[1] and roughly comparable to the euphemistic usage of English colorful.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) いろ [ìróꜜ] (Odaka – [2])[2][3]
IPA^(key): [iɾo̞]
Audio (file)

Noun

色(いろ) • (iro)

[from 720] color
目(め)の色(いろ)が違(ちが)う猫(ねこ)
me no iro ga chigau neko
a cat that has eyes of different color
[from 797] (figurative) the metaphorical color or mood
1. one's facial coloring or expression
2. the shape of one's face or appearance; more specifically, beautiful looks or a beautiful figure
3. lively elegance, enjoyable or interesting charm
4. apparent thoughtfulness, warmheartedness
5. the feeling or mood of a thing
6. the tenor or timber of a voice or sound
7. in Noh, a section that is chanted at a medium pace; alternately, a decorative poetic section
8. in 浄瑠璃 (jōruri, “puppet show narrative”), a lively section that is neither strictly dialog nor narration, but has many elements of dialog
9. when playing the koto, pushing on a string with the fingers of the left hand to change the pitch of a note, or for vibrato
[from early 900s] something related to romantic or sexual love, particularly between genders
1. the emotions or circumstances of attraction between genders
2. extramarital relations, an affair
3. an extramarital lover
4. a prostitute
5. a red-light district
[from late 900s] the type or kind of something
(informal, slang) various specific kinds of color:
1. (informal, slang, woman's speech) lipstick or rouge
2. (informal, slang) soy sauce
3. (informal, slang) paint

Derived terms

色(いろ)う (irou)
色(いろ)色(いろ), 色々(いろいろ) (iroiro, “various”)
色(いろ)んな (ironna, “various”)
色(いろ)艶(つや) (irotsuya, “color and luster; a person's facial coloring; warmth of feeling in speech or attitude; interest or fun in speech or writing”)
色(いろ)合(あ)い (iroai), 色(いろ)合(あい) (iroai, “a shade, hue, tone; coloring”)
色(いろ)褪(あ)せる (iroaseru, “lose color, fade; fade, lose freshness, become old and musty”)
色(いろ)紙(がみ) (irogami, “colored paper”)
色(いろ)気(け) (iroke)
色(いろ)眼(め)鏡(がね) (iro megane, “colored glasses”)
色(いろ)物(もの) (iromono, “a colored item, particularly cloth or clothing; a lively and colorful variety act”)
色(いろ)好(よ)い (iroyoi)
色(いろ)分(わ)け, 色(いろ)分(わけ) (irowake, “to color code, to separate by color”)
赤(あか)色(いろ) (aka-iro, “red”)
青(あお)色(いろ) (ao-iro, “blue”)
黄(き)色(いろ) (ki-iro, “yellow”)
茶(ちゃ)色(いろ) (cha-iro, “brown”)
狐(きつね)色(いろ) (kitsune-iro, “reddish-brown”)
橙(だいだい)色(いろ) (daidai-iro)
オレンジ色(いろ) (orenji-iro)
柿(かき)色(いろ) (kaki-iro, “reddish-orange”)
紫(むらさき)色(いろ) (murasaki-iro, “purple”)
薄(うす)紫(むらさき)色(いろ) (usumurasaki-iro, “light purple, lavender”)
桃(もも)色(いろ) (momo-iro, “peach pink”)
桜(さくら)色(いろ) (sakura-iro, “light pink”)
水(みず)色(いろ) (mizu-iro, “light blue”)
群(ぐん)青(じょう)色(いろ) (gunjō-iro, “ultramarine”)
赤(あか)紫(むらさき)色(いろ) (akamurasaki-iro, “magenta”)
青(あお)緑(みどり)色(いろ) (aomidori-iro, “cyan”)
灰(はい)色(いろ) (hai-iro, “dark gray”)
鼠(ねずみ)色(いろ) (nezumi-iro, “light grey”)
鴇(とき)色(いろ) (toki-iro, “pink”)
縹(はなだ)色(いろ) (hanada-iro, “light indigo blue”)
栗(くり)色(いろ) (kuri-iro, “maroon”)
緋(ひ)色(いろ) (hiiro, “scarlet”)
茜(あかね)色(いろ) (akane-iro)
苺(いちご)色(いろ) (ichigo-iro)
鬱(う)金(こん)色(いろ) (ukon-iro)
ココア色(いろ) (kokoa-iro)
葡(ぶ)萄(どう)色(いろ) (budō-iro)
檸(レ)檬(モン)色(いろ) (remon-iro)
金糸雀(かなりあ)色(いろ) (kanaria-iro)
芥(から)子(し)色(いろ) (karashi-iro)
琥(こ)珀(はく)色(いろ) (kohaku-iro, “amber”)
薔(ば)薇(ら)色(いろ) (bara-iro)
十(じゅう)人(にん)十(と)色(いろ) (jū-nin to-iro, “to each his own”)

Related terms

白(しろ)い (shiroi, “white”)
黒(くろ)い (kuroi, “black”)
赤(あか)い (akai, “red”)
青(あお)い (aoi, “blue”)
黄(き)色(いろ)い (kiiroi, “yellow”)
茶(ちゃ)色(いろ)い (chairoi, “brown”)

Adjective

色(いろ) • (iro) -na (adnominal 色(いろ)な (iro na), adverbial 色(いろ)に (iro ni))

[from late 900s] (archaic) of exceptional beauty of form or appearance
- Utsubo Monogatari, late 10th c.:
  いろなる娘(むすめ)どもゐなみて
  ironaru musume domo winamite
  beautiful girls all in a row
[from late 900s] (archaic) knowledgeable about lovemaking, sensual; lascivious, lecherous
- Ochikubo Monogatari, late 10th c.:
  越前守(えちぜんもり)色(いろ)なる人(ひと)にて
  echizenmori ironaru hito ni te
  Echizenmori was a man who liked the girls / had quite the libido
[from early 1000s] (archaic) elegant, tasteful, refined
- The Tale of Genji, early 11th c.:
  目馴(めな)れずもある住(す)まひの様(さま)かな色(いろ)なる御心(おこころ)にはをかしくおぼしなさる
  menarezu mo aru sumahi no sama ka na ironaru okokoro ni wa okashiku oboshinasaru
  "I haven't seen it before, but it looks like a house," he thought bemusedly in his refined mind...

Affix

色(いろ) • (iro)

relating to a love affair or the red light district
of that tone or timber or mood
relating to type or kind

Usage notes

Only found in compounds.

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
色
いろえ Grade: 2
kun’yomi

⟨iro₂pe₂⟩ → */irəpəj/ → /irofe/ → /iroe/

Nominalization of the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of classical shimo nidan katsuyō verb 色う (irou, “to color something”).

Not used in modern Japanese.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [iɾo̞e̞]

Noun

色(いろえ) • (iroe) ^{←いろへ (irofe)^?}

(obsolete) coloring, design

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
色
しき Grade: 2
goon

From Middle Chinese 色 (MC srik). The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing.[4]

The Buddhist sense is translation of Sanskrit रूप (rūpa, “outward appearance, color, form, shape”).

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) しき [shìkíꜜ] (Odaka – [2])[2]
IPA^(key): [ɕikʲi]

Noun

色(しき) • (shiki)

(Buddhism) material form, specifically the organized body as one of the five constituent elements or skandhas
- 7th century, Heart Sutra (translation by Xuanzang)
  舍(しゃ)利(り)子(し)。色(しき)不(ふ)異(い)空(くう)。空(くう)不(ふ)異(い)色(しき)。色(しき)即(そく)是(ぜ)空(くう)。空(くう)即(そく)是(ぜ)色(しき)。受(じゅ)想(そう)行(ぎょう)識(しき)亦(やく)復(ぶ)如是(にょぜ)。
  Sharishi, shiki fu i kū, kū fu i shiki. Shiki soku ze kū, kū soku ze shiki. Ju-sō-gyō-shiki, yaku bu nyoze.
  Sariputra, form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form. That which is form is empty; that which is emptiness is form. This is also true for sensation, perception, intention, and awareness.[5]
that which is visible of a thing, specifically form and color
color

Usage notes

Used extensively in compounds.

Derived terms

色(しき)界(かい) (shikikai, “the material world”)
色(しき)素(そ)胞(ほう) (shikisohō, “chromatophore”)
色(しき)彩(さい) (shikisai, “coloring, coloration, hue, tint; color, mood, influence, leaning”)
色(しき)紙(し) (shikishi, “a square piece of cardboard used for painting or for writing poems”)
色(しき)調(ちょう) (shikichō, “the coloring of a thing; a tone, shade, or hue”)
三(さん)色(しき) (sanshiki)
縹(ひょう)色(しき) (hyōshiki, “light indigo blue”)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
色
しょく Grade: 2
kan’on

From Middle Chinese 色 (MC ʃɨk̚). The kan'on reading, so likely a later borrowing.[4]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ɕo̞kɯ̟ᵝ]

Affix

色(しょく) • (shoku)

color (US), colour (everywhere else)

Usage notes

Used in compounds.

Derived terms

暗(あん)色(しょく) (anshoku, “a dark color”)
威(い)嚇(かく)色(しょく) (ikaku-shoku, “a threatening color or pattern on an animal”)
異(い)色(しょく) (ishoku, “of a different color; different from the norm”)
炎(えん)色(しょく) (enshoku), 焰(えん)色(しょく) (enshoku, “flame colour”)
怨(えん)色(しょく) (enshoku, “grudging look”)
演(えん)色(しょく) (enshoku, “colour rendering”)
艶(えん)色(しょく) (enshoku, “bewitching looks; beautiful colour”)
黄(おう)色(しょく) (ōshoku), 黄(こう)色(しょく) (kōshoku, “yellow”)
灰(かい)色(しょく) (kaishoku, “grey”)
褐(かっ)色(しょく) (kasshoku, “dark brown”)
橄(かん)欖(らん)色(しょく) (kanran-shoku)
好(こう)色(しょく) (kōshoku, “lasciviousness, lechery; lascivious, lecherous”)
紅(こう)色(しょく) (kōshoku, “crimson”)
行(こう)色(しょく) (kōshoku, “the state of being about to depart; natural scenery”)
黒(こく)色(しょく) (kokushoku, “black”)
紫(し)色(しょく) (shishoku, “purple”)
赭(しゃ)色(しょく) (shashoku, “reddish-brown, auburn”)
青(せい)色(しょく) (seishoku, “blue”)
赤(せき)色(しょく) (sekishoku, “red”)
水(すい)色(しょく) (suishoku, “light blue”)
遜(そん)色(しょく) (sonshoku, “inferiority”)
橙(とう)色(しょく) (tōshoku)
白(はく)色(しょく) (hakushoku, “white”)
明(めい)色(しょく) (meishoku, “a bright color”)
緑(りょく)色(しょく) (ryokushoku, “green”)

Counter

色(しょく) • (-shoku)

used to count the number of colors
三(さん)色(しょく)刷(す)り
sanshoku suri
three-color printing

Derived terms

三色(さんしょく) (sanshoku)

References

“色”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000, →ISBN
2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN
1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
Kido Inoue; Doiku Takeda (2012), Reggie Pawle, Ph.D, editor, Record of Traces and Dreams: the Heart Sutra, iUniverse, →ISBN, page vi

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 色 (MC ʃɨk̚).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	ᄉᆡᆨ〮 (Yale: sóyk)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
Text	*Gloss (hun)*	Reading
Sinjeung Yuhap, 1576	빗 (Yale: pis)	ᄉᆡᆨ (Yale: soyk)

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰɛk̚] ~ [sʰe̞k̚]
Phonetic hangul: [색/섹]

Hanja

Wikisource色 (eumhun 빛 색 (bit saek))

Hanja form^? of 색 (“colour”). [noun]

Compounds

색채 (色彩, saekchae)
단색 (丹色, dansaek)
녹색 (綠色, noksaek)
무색 (無色, musaek)
특색 (特色, teuksaek)
손색 (遜色, sonsaek)
회색 (灰色, hoesaek)
백색 (白色, baeksaek)
퇴색 (退色, toesaek)
색조 (色調, saekjo)
염색 (染色, yeomsaek)
황색 (黃色, hwangsaek)
각색 (脚色, gaksaek)
안색 (顔色, ansaek)
갈색 (褐色, galsaek)
각색 (各色, gaksaek)
명색 (名色, myeongsaek)
색상 (色相, saeksang)
일색 (一色, ilsaek)
색맹 (色盲, saengmaeng)
난색 (難色, nansaek)
생색 (生色, saengsaek)
채색 (彩色, chaesaek)
면색 (面色, myeonsaek)
물색 (物色, mulsaek)
유색 (有色, yusaek)
탈색 (脫色, talsaek)
색소 (色素, saekso)
다색 (茶色, dasaek)
난색 (暖色, nansaek)
단색 (單色, dansaek)
형색 (形色, hyeongsaek)
흑색 (黑色, heuksaek)
자색 (紫色, jasaek)
색정 (色情, saekjeong)
여색 (女色, yeosaek)
청색 (靑色, cheongsaek)
윤색 (潤色, yunsaek)
색계 (色界, saekgye)
색욕 (色慾, saegyok)
가색 (假色, gasaek)
간색 (間色, gansaek)
기색 (氣色, gisaek)
색감 (色感, saekgam)
적색 (赤色, jeoksaek)
감색 (紺色, gamsaek)
간색 (看色, gansaek)
변색 (變色, byeonsaek)
색지 (色紙, saekji)
화색 (和色, hwasaek)
원색 (原色, wonsaek)
음색 (音色, eumsaek)
현색 (顯色, hyeonsaek)
배색 (配色, baesaek)

References

국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

Vietnamese

Han character

色: Hán Nôm readings: sắc, sặc

color

[KDJ2-1] “色”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000, →ISBN

[DJR-2] 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[NHK-3] 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN

[KDJ-4] 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan

[5] Kido Inoue; Doiku Takeda (2012), Reggie Pawle, Ph.D, editor, Record of Traces and Dreams: the Heart Sutra, iUniverse, →ISBN, page vi

色

Translingual

Han character

Derived characters

See also

Further reading

Chinese

Glyph origin

Etymology

Pronunciation

Definitions

Synonyms

See also

Compounds

Descendants

References

Further reading

Japanese

Kanji

Readings

Compounds

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Noun

Derived terms

Related terms

Adjective

Affix

Usage notes

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Noun

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

Noun

Usage notes

Derived terms

See also

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

Affix

Usage notes

Derived terms

Counter

Derived terms

See also

References

Korean

Etymology

Pronunciation

Hanja

Compounds

References

Vietnamese

Han character