Language/Mandarin-chinese/Vocabulary/Colors

Mandarin Chinese Vocabulary - Colors

Hi Mandarin Chinese learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on vocabulary related to colors in Mandarin Chinese. Colors are used to describe the world around us and they play an important role in our daily lives. By learning the Chinese words for colors, you will be able to understand and communicate better with Chinese speakers. So, let's start!

Basic vocabulary

Let's start with some basic colors that you may already know. Here are the most common colors in Mandarin Chinese:

Mandarin Chinese	Pronunciation	English
红色	hóng sè	red
黄色	huáng sè	yellow
蓝色	lán sè	blue
绿色	lǜ sè	green
紫色	zǐ sè	purple
粉色	fěn sè	pink
白色	bái sè	white
黑色	hēi sè	black

These are the eight basic colors in Mandarin Chinese. If you memorize these, you'll have the foundation for learning more color vocabulary.

Let's look at some additional colors that are commonly used in Chinese culture:

Mandarin Chinese	Pronunciation	English
金色	jīn sè	gold
银色	yín sè	silver
灰色	huī sè	gray
棕色	zōng sè	brown
橙色	chéng sè	orange
青色	qīng sè	cyan
玫瑰红	méi guì hóng	rose

Now that you are familiar with some basic colors, let's move on to some figurative expressions based on colors.

Figurative expressions

Colors are often used to express emotions or to describe characteristics of objects or people. Let's see some of the most common figurative expressions related to colors in Mandarin Chinese.

Red (红色 - hóng sè)

- 红红火火 (hóng hóng huǒ huǒ) - This expression is used to describe something that is thriving, prosperous, or in a state of great success. Example: 这家餐馆生意很红红火火。 (zhè jiā cān guǎn shēng yì hěn hóng hóng huǒ huǒ) - This restaurant is doing very well.

- 红颜知己 (hóng yán zhī jǐ) - This expression refers to a close confidant or intimate friend of the opposite sex. It is usually used to describe a platonic relationship that is based on mutual understanding and support. Example: 她和他是红颜知己。 (tā hé tā shì hóng yán zhī jǐ) - She and he are confidants.

Yellow (黄色 - huáng sè)

- 黄金时代 (huáng jīn shí dài) - This expression is used to refer to the golden age of an era, institution, or society when things are going exceptionally well. Example: 新中国80年代是中国的黄金时代。 (xīn zhōng guó 80 nián dài shì zhōng guó de huáng jīn shí dài) - The 1980s was the golden age of China.

- 黄土高原 (huáng tǔ gāo yuán) - This expression refers to the Loess Plateau region located in northern and central China, which has become a symbol of Chinese culture and environment. Example: 黄土高原的风景很美。 (huáng tǔ gāo yuán de fēng jǐng hěn měi) - The scenery of the Loess Plateau is beautiful.

Green (绿色 - lǜ sè)

- 绿色环保 (lǜ sè huán bǎo) - This expression means environmental protection or eco-friendliness. Example: 绿色环保是全球的重要议题。 (lǜ sè huán bǎo shì quán qiú de zhòng yào yì tí) - Green environmental protection is an important topic worldwide.

- 绿水青山 (lǜ shuǐ qīng shān) - This expression is often used to describe beautiful natural scenery, especially those with forests, rivers, and mountains. Example: 我们要珍惜绿水青山，一起保护环境。 (wǒ men yào zhēn xī lǜ shuǐ qīng shān, yì qǐ bǎo hù huán jìng) - We should cherish the beautiful scenery of the forests, rivers, and mountains and protect the environment together.

Other figurative expressions

- 五彩缤纷 (wǔ cǎi bīn fēn) - This expression is used to describe something that is colorful, varied, and dazzling. Example: 花园里五彩缤纷的花朵真美。 (huā yuán lǐ wǔ cǎi bīn fēn de huā duǒ zhēn měi) - The colorful flowers in the garden are really beautiful.

- 蓝天白云 (lán tiān bái yún) - This expression refers to a blue sky with white clouds, often used to describe a beautiful day. Example: 今天天气很好，蓝天白云的。 (jīn tiān tiān qì hěn hǎo, lán tiān bái yún de) - The weather is good today, with a blue sky and white clouds.

- 灰心丧气 (huī xīn sàng qì) - This expression is used to describe a feeling of being depressed, disheartened, or downcast. Example: 我连续失败几次，心情灰心丧气。 (wǒ lián xù shī bài jǐ cì, xīn qíng huī xīn sàng qì) - I have failed several times in a row and feel depressed.

Colorful dialogue

To help you see the words in context, we have created a colorful dialogue between two friends:

• Person 1: 我今天穿了一件红色的衣服。 (wǒ jīn tiān chuān le yī jiàn hóng sè de yī fú) - Today, I am wearing a red shirt.
• Person 2: 红色很适合你。你看起来很有活力。 (hóng sè hěn shì hé nǐ. nǐ kàn qǐ lái hěn yǒu huó lì) - Red suits you well. You look energetic.
• Person 1: 谢谢。我也觉得你穿的黄色衬衫很漂亮。 (xiè xiè. wǒ yě jué de nǐ chuān de huáng sè chèn shān hěn piào liàng) - Thank you. I also think the yellow shirt you are wearing is very beautiful.
• Person 2: 黄色是我的最爱。 (huáng sè shì wǒ de zuì ài) - Yellow is my favorite.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have learned some basic and advanced color vocabulary in Mandarin Chinese, as well as some figurative expressions. To further improve your Mandarin Chinese vocabulary, you can use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions! Don't forget to check out the Vocabulary category for more lessons.

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

- "Colors in Chinese" by ChinesewithMegan. Accessed August 2021. [1]

- "50 Chinese Color Idioms". Accessed August 2021. [2]