Mandarin Vocabulary Colors

Learning the names of colors is essential in any language, but Mandarin colors give you more than just a tool for descriptions: They also have strong cultural meanings. Cultural Meanings Red  is a lucky color, representing prosperity, goodness, and happiness. If cash is given as a present, it is placed in a red envelope. White envelopes are never used because white is associated with death. The opposite of red is black, which represents evil and suffering. Although white is used in funerals, it is not associated with evil, but rather the absence of life, as during winter. Yellow is the color of the soil and represents earthliness and centeredness. It is also a color strongly associated with China, as the Chinese are descendants of the Yellow Emperor. Color Translation Color Pinyin Traditional Simplified white bi s blue ln s yellow hung s green l s red hng s orange j s or chng s or or brown kfi s black hi s purple z s grey hu s