色
contributes the sense of color and of the look on a person's face · Kangxi radical 139
contributes the sense of color and of the look on a person's face, and often just the sound sè
The old graph of 色 shows two bent human figures, one crouching above the other, and the usual reading is that it pictured a person's posture or expression — hence the 'look on the face' that later widened to 'color' and 'good looks'; the details are disputed and the original scene is not certain. In the modern character you can still separate the two bodies: the small bent stroke on top 𠂊 is one figure leaning over, and 巴 underneath is the second, kneeling one. That colour sense drives 艳 'gorgeous, richly coloured' and 艴 'flushed with anger', while in 绝 and 铯 the piece is mostly there for its sound.
色 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of color and of the look on a person's face
- Strokes
- 6
- Characters
- 5
- Role
- Usually contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 139
Characters with 色 (4 of 5)
HSK 4 · 1
HSK 5 · 1
Beyond HSK · 2
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 色 mean?
色 means "contributes the sense of color and of the look on a person's face". In the characters that contain it, it usually contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 色?
5 characters in this dictionary contain 色, including ones at HSK 4, HSK 5.
Is 色 a radical?
Yes — 色 is Kangxi radical 139, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 色 have?
色 is written in 6 strokes.