How to say various colors in Traditional Chinese?

Introduction

If you’re a Westerner looking to delve into the Traditional Chinese language, understanding colors in Mandarin is a fantastic place to start. Colors in Mandarin hold profound cultural significance, reflecting aspects of history, tradition, and social norms. In this guide, we’ll explore how to express various colors in Traditional Chinese, along with their cultural connotations and pronunciation tips.

顏色 yán sè: How to say colors in Mandarin

In Mandarin, colors play a crucial role in daily communication and cultural expression. Each color carries its own unique name and character, forming an integral part of the language. Understanding how to articulate colors in Mandarin involves grasping pronunciation nuances due to the language’s tonal nature.

Color Mandarin character Transliteration Red 紅色 hóngsè Blue 藍色 lán sè Yellow 黃色 huángsè Green 綠色 lǜsè Orange 橘色 júsè Purple 紫色 zǐsè Pink 粉紅色 fěnhóng sè Brown 咖啡色 / 棕色 kāfēisè / zōngsè White 白色 báisè Black 黑色 hēisè Gray 灰色 huīsè

Red (紅色, hóng sè)

紅色 "hóngsè", commonly known as red, holds immense significance in Mandarin culture. It symbolizes luck, joy, and happiness, making it omnipresent in festivities and celebrations. However, it's crucial to avoid wearing red at solemn occasions like funerals, where white attire is more appropriate.

Learn some words！ 紅燈 (hóng dēng) - red light .It usually refers to the colors of traffic signal lights. 紅酒 (hóng jiǔ) - red wine 紅包 (hóng bāo) - red envelope 紅寶石 (hóng bǎoshí) - ruby 紅人 (hóng rén) - famous and popular person.

Blue (藍色, lán sè)

藍色 "lán sè", or blue, enjoys widespread acceptance in Mandarin culture without any associated taboos. It often features prominently in traditional artwork and porcelain.

Learn some words！ 藍天 (lán tiān) - blue sky 藍寶石 (lán bǎoshí) - sapphire 藍莓 (lán méi) - blueberry

Yellow (黃色, huáng sè)

黃色 "huángsè", representing earth and centrality, historically symbolized imperial power and reverence.

Learn some words！ 蛋黃 (dàn huáng) - egg yolk 枯黃 (kū huáng) - withered yellow.Usually used to describe leaves. 金黃色 (jīn huáng sè) - golden yellow

Green (綠色, lǜ sè)

綠色 "lǜsè", associated with life and nature, holds similar symbolism to its representation in other cultures. However, wearing a green hat in China may convey negative connotations.

Learn some words！ 綠葉 (lǜ yè) - green leaf 綠燈 (lǜ dēng) - green light.It usually refers to the colors of traffic signal lights. 綠豆 (lǜ dòu) - mung bean 綠洲 (lǜ zhōu) - oasis 綠茶 (lǜ chá) - green tea

Orange (橘色, jú sè) In Taiwan, when referring to the color orange, more people tend to use "橘色" (jú sè) rather than "橙色" (chéng sè). "橙色" is often reserved for more formal or written contexts.橘色 "júsè", the warm color of orange, has gained popularity in recent years despite its lesser historical significance.

Purple (紫色, zǐ sè)

紫色 "zǐsè", historically associated with immortality and divinity, has evolved to symbolize love in contemporary Mandarin culture.

Learn some words！ 紫外線 (zǐ wài xiàn) - Purple ultraviolet rays 紫羅蘭 (zǐ luó lán) - Purple violet 紫菜 (zǐ cài) - Seaweed

Pink (粉紅色, fěn hóng sè)

粉紅色 "fěnhóng sè", a lighter shade of red, signifies love and femininity in Mandarin culture. It's commonly observed in wedding ceremonies.

Brown (咖啡色,kā fēi sè / 棕色, zōng sè)

In Taiwan, to express the color brown, people typically use 咖啡色("kāfēisè), while 棕色(zōngsè) is more commonly used in writing.棕色 "zōngsè", akin to many cultures, represents earthiness, stability, and reliability. While it's considered a shade of yellow.

Learn some words！ 棕熊 (zōng xióng) - Brown bear 棕櫚樹 (zōng lǚ shù) - Palm tree

White (白色, bái sè) 白色 "báisè", or white, carries negative connotations in Mandarin culture, associated with mourning and death. It's customary to refrain from wearing white attire at joyful events like weddings.

Learn some words！ 白米 (bái mǐ) - white rice 白飯 (bái fàn) - white cooked rice 白板 (bái bǎn) - whiteboard 白蘭地 (bái lán dì) - brandy 白髮 (bái fà) - white hair

Black (黑色, hēi sè)

黑色 "hēisè", or black, evokes mixed feelings in Mandarin culture. While it can symbolize negative concepts like criminality, it also embodies traits of fortitude and justice.

Learn some words！ 黑夜 (hēi yè) - Black night 黑板 (hēi bǎn) - Blackboard 黑洞 (hēi dòng) - Black hole 黑心 (hēi xīn) - To describe someone as having a treacherous and malicious heart. 黑馬 (hēi mǎ) - The unexpected victor metaphor.

Gray (灰色, huī sè)

灰色 "huīsè", often mistaken for black due to its similar pronunciation, symbolizes balance and wisdom in Mandarin culture. It has become a part of the professional dress code in modern Taiwan.

Learn some words！ 灰心 (huī xīn) - to be discouraged 石灰 (shí huī) - Lime 菸灰缸 (yān huī gāng) - Ashtray 灰姑娘 (huī gū niang) - Cinderella."灰姑娘" is the translated name in Taiwan. Talking about an object with its color

From the words above, we can see that in Mandarin, colors are not only used to describe hues but also to depict certain situations or metaphors, which is quite fascinating!

In Mandarin Chinese, the color precedes the noun when describing an object. For example, "red apple" is translated as 紅蘋果 "hóng píngguǒ." When constructing full sentences, this order remains unchanged.

Useful dialogues with Chinese colors

Engaging in small talk in Mandarin often involves discussing colors. Here are some common phrases to facilitate color-related conversations:

Asking about someone’s favorite color: 你最喜歡什麼顏色？ "Nǐ zuì xǐhuān shénme yánsè?" Expressing preferences: 我最喜歡藍色。"Wǒ zuì xǐhuān lán sè."

Indicating likes and dislikes: 你喜歡紅色嗎？ "Nǐ xǐhuān hóngsè ma?"

Affirmative response: 是的，我喜歡紅色。 "Shì de, wǒ xǐhuān hóngsè." Negative response: 不，我不喜歡紅色。 "Bù, wǒ bù xǐhuān hóngsè."

Talking about an object with its color

From the words above, we can see that in Mandarin, colors are not only used to describe hues but also to depict certain situations or metaphors, which is quite fascinating!

In Mandarin Chinese, the color precedes the noun when describing an object. For example, "red apple" is translated as 紅蘋果 "hóng píngguǒ." When constructing full sentences, this order remains unchanged.

Useful dialogues with Chinese colors

Engaging in small talk in Mandarin often involves discussing colors. Here are some common phrases to facilitate color-related conversations:

Asking about someone’s favorite color: 你最喜歡什麼顏色？ "Nǐ zuì xǐhuān shénme yánsè?" Expressing preferences: 我最喜歡藍色。"Wǒ zuì xǐhuān lán sè."

Indicating likes and dislikes: 你喜歡紅色嗎？ "Nǐ xǐhuān hóngsè ma?"

Affirmative response: 是的，我喜歡紅色。 "Shì de, wǒ xǐhuān hóngsè." Negative response: 不，我不喜歡紅色。 "Bù, wǒ bù xǐhuān hóngsè."

Conclusion

When learning a language, we often start learning colors early on because using colors to describe things is very common. Mastering colors in Mandarin opens a gateway to understanding the language's cultural nuances and expressions. Though the applications are vast, learning them isn't difficult! Interested in learning more about how colors are used in Mandarin? Come to BaoDao Talk! Our experienced teachers will guide you through learning spoken Mandarin with ease!