黑色
hēisè/xeɪ̯⁵⁵ sɤ⁵¹/
The English phrase "black" is translated into Mandarin as 黑色 (hēisè).
Meaning: absorbing all light (adj)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 黑色 | hēisè | /xeɪ̯⁵⁵ sɤ⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) | |
| 黑 | hek | /hiɪk̚⁴²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Sinological IPA, Dehua, General Taiwanese) /hiɪk̚³²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Sinological IPA, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Dehua, General Taiwanese) |
Hokkien |
| 黑色 | hek-sek | /hiɪk̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Taipei, Kaohsiung, General Taiwanese) | Hokkien |
| 烏色 / 乌色 | o͘-siak / o͘-sek | Hokkien |
The term is used to describe the color that absorbs all light. While the single character 黑 can function as both an adjective and a noun, the form 黑色 is used more specifically when referring to the noun "the color black". To refer to a Black person, the standard term in Mandarin is 黑人.
Which one should you use?
The single character 黑 can function as both an adjective and a noun. In contrast, 黑色 is more specifically used as the noun for the color black itself.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Dungan, the word хи is used. In Hokkien, you may find the forms 黑, 黑色 or 烏色 / 乌色.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the adjective 'black' to describe a noun, it is common to add the particle 的 to form 黑色的.
How do you pronounce it?
hek-sek (/xeɪ̯⁵⁵ sɤ⁵¹/)
Did you know?
- The character 黑 is believed to represent an ancient depiction of a person's face with dark facial markings or tattoos. This imagery is linked to the historical punishment of 墨刑 (mòxíng), where criminals were tattooed.
- In modern slang, the word 黑 can mean to 'troll' or 'smear' someone's reputation online. This usage describes 'blackening' a person's image rather than their physical color.
- The character 黑 is composed of several parts, including a 'fire' element 灬 at the bottom. This likely refers to the soot produced by fire, which is the deepest black.
Examples in context
- 他喜歡黑人。He likes black people.This sentence uses the form 黑 to talk about people.Tatoeba #6154351 by xjjAstrus, translation #6276520 by Kiwi
- 黑洞存在吗？Do black holes exist?This sentence uses the form 黑 in the context of black holes.Tatoeba #8496270 by maxine, translation #8279722 by lunchmeat317
- 猫是黑色的。The cat is black.This sentence uses the form 黑 to describe the color of a cat.Tatoeba #9969967 by GlossaMatik, translation #1107280 by CK
- Wǒ de yīfú shì hēi sè de. (我的衣服是黑色的。)My clothes are black.
- Tā de tóufǎ hěn hēi. (她的头发很黑。)Her hair is black.
- 98 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a new piece of clothing in a store.
- 佳怡 Jiayi這件衣服是黑色的嗎？Zhè jiàn yīfu shì hēisè de ma?Is this piece of clothing black?
- 伟 Wei不，它是深藍色的。Bù, tā shì shēn lánsè de.No, it is dark blue.
- 佳怡 Jiayi那這件黑色的呢？Nà zhè jiàn hēisè de ne?Then how about this black one?
- 伟 Wei這件很適合你。Zhè jiàn hěn shìhé nǐ.This one suits you well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “black” translations and entries 黑色, 黑, 黑色, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 黑, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
