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March 24, 2026
彩cǎi(cai3)
The character 彩 (cǎi) primarily refers to 'color' or 'variety,' often implying brightness or vividness. It can also denote 'applause' or 'to applaud,' indicating appreciation or approval. In certain contexts, it relates to lottery prizes, emphasizing the idea of luck and reward.
Strokes11Radical彡Frequency#4791DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, 彩 is often linked to festivals and celebrations, such as Chinese New Year, where bright colors symbolize good fortune and happiness. The use of 彩 can also be seen in traditional arts like 彩绘 (cǎihuì), which refers to colorful painting.
Memory Tip
Imagine a painter with a vibrant palette filled with 'colors' (彩). The character looks like a spectrum of light (the top part) shining down on a canvas (the bottom part), reminding you that 'cǎi' brings brightness to your artwork and life.
Meanings of 彩
cǎi(cai3)
1(bright) color
2variety
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 彩
彩Simplified
11Strokes
彡Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#4791Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6
Podcast: 彩
Podcast: 彩
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AI Study Notes for 彩
Quick Contrast
色 (sè) refers specifically to 'color' in a more general sense, while 彩 (cǎi) emphasizes brightness or variety.
Usage Notes
A common mistake is confusing 彩 with 色 (sè), which also means color but is more general. 彩 is often used in formal contexts, such as in art and design, while 色 can be used informally. Be careful with pronunciation; the third tone (cǎi) is crucial to avoid confusion with other words.
HSK Study Tips
彩 is not included in the HSK levels but is related to colors (颜色 yánsè), which is HSK 1 vocabulary. Students should focus on recognizing 彩 in contexts related to art, decoration, and celebrations, enhancing their vocabulary around colors and variety.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 彩 (cǎi) with 色 (sè), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我喜欢色的花' (wǒ xǐhuān sè de huā) should be corrected to '我喜欢彩色的花' (wǒ xǐhuān cǎisè de huā) to mean 'I like colorful flowers.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 彩
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Phonosemantic compound. 彡 represents the meaning and 采 represents the sound.
1The meaning half彡 carries the sense.
2The sound half采 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayhair
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 彩? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 彩?
Decomposition of 彩
IDS Structure⿰采彡
彩Full Character
=
采cai3
left
彡shan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 彩?
How to say (bright) color in Chinese
“(bright) color” in Chinese is彩cǎi
The character 彩 (cǎi) primarily refers to 'color' or 'variety,' often implying brightness or vividness. It can also denote 'applause' or 'to applaud,' indicating appreciation or approval. In certain contexts, it relates to lottery prizes, emphasizing the idea of luck and reward.
When to use 彩
A common mistake is confusing 彩 with 色 (sè), which also means color but is more general. 彩 is often used in formal contexts, such as in art and design, while 色 can be used informally. Be careful with pronunciation; the third tone (cǎi) is crucial to avoid confusion with other words.
彩 or something close to it
色 (sè) refers specifically to 'color' in a more general sense, while 彩 (cǎi) emphasizes brightness or variety.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 彩 (cǎi) with 色 (sè), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我喜欢色的花' (wǒ xǐhuān sè de huā) should be corrected to '我喜欢彩色的花' (wǒ xǐhuān cǎisè de huā) to mean 'I like colorful flowers.'
Write 彩
彩
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Grammar Patterns of 彩
彩 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
剪彩jiǎncǎito cut the ribbon (at a launching or opening ceremony)
彩带streamer彩帶
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 精彩 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 彩
Common phrases that include 彩 are '彩虹' (cǎi hóng), meaning 'rainbow', and '彩色' (cǎi sè), meaning 'colorful'. These phrases highlight the use of 彩 in describing vibrant and varied colors.
Yes, 彩 is a commonly used character in Chinese, especially in contexts related to art, design, and celebrations. It's often found in idiomatic expressions and phrases that emphasize color and variety.
彩 (cǎi) primarily means 'color' or 'brightness' in Chinese. It can also refer to variety or diversity in context. Additionally, 彩 can signify applause or the act of applauding, as well as relate to lottery prizes.
You can use 彩 in sentences to describe colors or variety. For example, '这幅画有很多彩' (This painting has many colors). It can also be used in expressions like '彩排' (cǎi pái), meaning 'rehearsal', which refers to a colorful display of performance.
Common phrases include 彩虹 (cǎihóng - rainbow) and 彩色 (cǎisè - colorful).
Yes, aside from 'color', it can mean 'to applaud' and is also associated with lottery prizes.
彩 is pronounced as 'cǎi' with a third (falling-rising) tone.
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