血色 (xuè sè) — the red color of blood; scarlet; rosy or flush complexion (often in negative construction: 没有血色)

Definition

Literary/literatus word for the red color of blood, or a person's rosy complexion (usually in 一点儿血色都没有, meaning pale/sickly).

noun
the red color of bloodscarletrosy or flush complexion (often in negative construction: 没有血色)

Examples

  • 血色。
    Xī yáng bǎ tiān kōng rǎn chéng le xuè sè.
    The sunset dyed the sky blood-red.
  • ，血色。
    Tā bìng le hǎo jiǔ, liǎn shàng yì diǎn xuè sè dōu méi yǒu.
    She was sick for a long time, with no color in her face at all.
  • 血色，。
    Zhè jiàn dà yī de xuè sè hěn zhèng, kàn qǐ lái hěn gāo guì.
    The scarlet color of this coat is very true and looks elegant.

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.

血xuèblood
色sècolor

The 血 part specifies the color referred to by 色, giving blood-red color or complexion.

Characters in this word

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

  • 一一yīdrop of blood
  • 皿皿mǐncontainer

The shape shows 一, a drop of blood, inside 皿, a container, for blood held in a sacrificial vessel.

Open 血 →

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 →
Appears in
Colors

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