暖色调 (nuǎn sè diào) — warm color(s), warm color scheme

Definition

Colors that feel warm (reds, oranges, yellows). Contrast with its sibling 冷色调 (cool colors like blues and greens).

noun
warm color(s)warm color scheme

Examples

  • 暖色调，。
    Zhè ge fáng jiān yòng le nuǎn sè diào, gǎn jué hěn wēn nuǎn.
    This room uses warm colors; it feels very cozy.
  • 暖色调，。
    Tā de huà yǐ nuǎn sè diào wéi zhǔ, kàn qǐ lái hěn yǒu huó lì.
    Her paintings are mainly in warm colors; they look very energetic.
  • 暖色调。
    Dōng tiān chuān nuǎn sè diào de yī fu huì ràng rén xiǎn de gèng qīn qiè.
    Wearing warm-colored clothes in winter makes you look more approachable.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

暖色warm color
暖nuǎnwarm色sècolor
偏正Modifier + head
调tiáotone

暖色 gives warm color, and 调 adds tone.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
爰
爰yuán暖nuǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

暖 is made from 日, the sun, and 爰, which is used for its sound.

Open 暖 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 爪爪zhuǎclaw; hand
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

色 pairs 爪 (a hand) with 卩 (a kneeling person), showing a hand pressing down on the kneeling person.

Open 色 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

Open 调 →

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