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红色 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
红色hóngsèred (color)HSK 2, unknown, 12 strokes, rank #1777, Easy
红色hóngsèrevolutionaryHSK 2, unknown, 12 strokes, rank #1777, Easy
hóngsè(hong2se4)hong se T2
  1. 1red (color)
  2. 2revolutionary
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March 24, 2026

红色(紅色)hóngsè(hong2se4)

红色 (hóng sè) refers to the color red, which is often associated with strong emotions such as love, passion, and anger. In Chinese culture, red also symbolizes good fortune and prosperity, making it a popular color for celebrations and festivals.

Strokes12Frequency#1777DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, red is prominently featured in weddings, New Year celebrations, and other auspicious events, representing happiness and good luck. The tradition of giving red envelopes (红包) during festivals further highlights the positive connotations of this color.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bright red heart (红) filled with joy and love. The character 红 (hóng) looks like a heart with a 'dot' above it, reminding you that love is passionate and vibrant like the color red.

Meanings of 红色

hóngsè(hong2se4)
1red (color)
2revolutionary
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About 红色

红色Simplified
紅色Traditional
12Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2ElementaryTOCFLL2YCTL3HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 红色

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Podcast: 红色

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AI Study Notes for 红色

Quick Contrast

红 (hóng) vs. 朱 (zhū) — use 红色 for the general color red, while 朱 specifically refers to a bright vermilion shade.

Usage Notes

While 红色 is the standard way to refer to the color red, learners may mistakenly use just 红 (hóng) when specifying the color in certain contexts. This word is generally informal but can be used in formal contexts when discussing art or design. Be mindful of the tone: 红 (hóng) is pronounced with the second tone, while 色 (sè) is pronounced with the fourth tone.

HSK Study Tips

红色 is relevant for HSK Level 1 learners as it introduces basic color vocabulary. Students should focus on pronunciation and how to use this word in sentences describing objects or preferences, such as '我喜欢红色' (I like red).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 红 (hóng) with 红色 (hóng sè) when describing colors, omitting 色 (sè) entirely. For example, saying '这个是红' instead of '这个是红色' is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 红色

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Component Characters

红hóngred
HSK 56 strokes纟
View full entry
色sècolor
HSK 46 strokes色
View full entry

How to say red (color) in Chinese

“red (color)” in Chinese is红色hóngsè

红色 (hóng sè) refers to the color red, which is often associated with strong emotions such as love, passion, and anger. In Chinese culture, red also symbolizes good fortune and prosperity, making it a popular color for celebrations and festivals.

When to use 红色

While 红色 is the standard way to refer to the color red, learners may mistakenly use just 红 (hóng) when specifying the color in certain contexts. This word is generally informal but can be used in formal contexts when discussing art or design. Be mindful of the tone: 红 (hóng) is pronounced with the second tone, while 色 (sè) is pronounced with the fourth tone.

红色 or something close to it

红 (hóng) vs. 朱 (zhū) — use 红色 for the general color red, while 朱 specifically refers to a bright vermilion shade.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 红 (hóng) with 红色 (hóng sè) when describing colors, omitting 色 (sè) entirely. For example, saying '这个是红' instead of '这个是红色' is incorrect.

Write 红色

红
色

Practice writing 红色 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 红色

You can say '这个房间的墙是红色的' (The walls of this room are red).

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