色 · sè

color; appearance

Radical pronunciation

Radical summary

#139

Kangxi

6

Strokes

#105

Frequency

Visual hint

A kneeling figure beside color: a person and color component combining to suggest facial expression.

Suggests color, complexion, facial expression, or sensuality (a rich semantic range).

varies

Trace the radical, simplified, traditional, and variant forms when available.

色

2 examples

色

sè

color; complexion; appearance

HSK 2

颜

yán

complexion; color/hue

HSK 4

Color/complexion radical. Found in 色 (color), 颜 (face/color), 艳 (vivid/glamorous).

Rosy cheeks in love: complexion changes with emotion — joy, anger, love, desire all show on the face.

巴: 色 has a kneeling figure with a color component; 巴 is a coiled snake — completely different.

What radical is this: 色?