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饱和度 (bǎo hé dù) — saturation (of a color, in color theory and imaging)

Definition

A technical term from color theory and digital imaging: how intense or vivid a color is. Higher 饱和度 means more vibrant colors; lower means more muted or grayish.

noun
saturation (of a color, in color theory and imaging)

Examples

  • 饱和度，。
    Nǐ kě yǐ tiáo zhěng zhào piàn de bǎo hé dù, ràng yán sè gèng hǎo kàn.
    You can adjust the saturation of the photo to make the colors look better.
  • 饱和度，。
    Zhè zhāng zhào piàn de bǎo hé dù tài gāo le, yán sè tài xiān yàn.
    The saturation of this photo is too high, the colors are too bright.
  • 饱和度，。
    Shè yǐng shī jiàng dī le tú piàn de bǎo hé dù, ràng tā kàn qǐ lái gèng zì rán.
    The photographer reduced the saturation of the image to make it look more natural.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

饱和saturation
饱bǎo和hé
度dùdegree

饱和度 names the 度 of 饱和, the saturation of a color.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 飽; 饱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
食食shífood
Sound part声符shēngfú
包
包bāo飽bǎo
Same sound today

The traditional form 飽 uses 食 to mark food/eating and 包 for the sound.

Open 饱 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
禾
禾hé和hé
Same sound today

和 pairs 禾, which gives the sound, with 口 (mouth), the meaning part; the reference connects this shape to harmony.

Open 和 →

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí度dù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Open 度 →
Appears in
Colors

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