sèhào: 色号 - Shade Number, Color Code

• Keywords: sèhào, 色号, Chinese for shade number, foundation shade in Chinese, lipstick shade number, color code, PANTONE in Chinese, makeup in China, beauty terms Chinese, 小红书 (Xiaohongshu) beauty, C-beauty.
• Summary: 色号 (sèhào) is a modern Chinese term meaning “shade number” or “color code.” Essential for anyone interested in makeup and beauty in China, it refers to the specific number or name used to identify a shade of foundation, lipstick, or any other cosmetic. Beyond beauty, 色号 is also used in design and manufacturing as the “color code,” similar to a Pantone number. Understanding this term is key to navigating shopping, e-commerce, and social media discussions about popular products in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): sèhào
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: The specific code, number, or name that identifies a particular shade of a color, especially for cosmetics, paints, or dyes.
• In a Nutshell: Think of the code on the bottom of a lipstick tube (e.g., “MAC Ruby Woo”) or the specific number for a foundation that matches your skin tone (e.g., “Fenty 140”). In Chinese, that identifying code is the 色号. It's a highly practical word that moves the conversation from the general “color” (颜色, yánsè) to the specific, purchasable “shade” (色号, sèhào).

• 色 (sè): This character means “color,” “hue,” or “tint.” It's one of the most fundamental characters for describing the visual world.
• 号 (hào): This character means “number,” “code,” or “mark.” It's the same character used in words like 电话号码 (diànhuà hàomǎ - telephone number) and 房间号 (fángjiān hào - room number).
• Together, 色 (color) + 号 (number) literally and logically form “color number,” the perfect term for a specific code that identifies a shade.

The term 色号 has no deep historical or philosophical roots; its significance is entirely modern, tied to consumer culture and the digital age. In contemporary China, the beauty industry (美妆行业, měizhuāng hángyè) is a colossal market. The concept of a 色号 has become central to how products are discussed, marketed, and sold. Beauty influencers (美妆博主, měizhuāng bózhǔ) on platforms like 小红书 (Xiaohongshu, “Little Red Book”) and Douyin (TikTok) can make a specific 色号 go viral overnight, causing it to sell out nationwide (断货, duànhuò). While the West has a similar culture around “cult-favorite” shades, the scale and centralization in China are unique. A single livestream by a top influencer like Li Jiaqi (李佳琦) can sell tens of thousands of units of a single lipstick 色号 in minutes. Therefore, knowing the 色号 of popular products isn't just for shopping; it's a form of cultural literacy that allows one to participate in trending conversations online and offline. It's the language of modern consumer desire in China.

The use of 色号 is overwhelmingly practical and context-driven.

This is the term's primary domain. It's used constantly in conversation, online reviews, and at makeup counters.

• At the store: You'll ask a sales associate for a specific 色号 or ask for a recommendation based on your skin tone (肤色, fūsè).
• Online: When researching products, you'll search for reviews or swatches (试色, shìsè) of a particular 色号. E-commerce listings on Taobao or Tmall will have a dropdown menu for you to select the 色号 you want to purchase.
• With friends: It's common to ask a friend, “Your lipstick color is so pretty! What's the 色号?” (你的口红色号是什么？).

In a more technical context, 色号 refers to an industrial color code.

• Graphic Design: A designer might ask for the specific Pantone 色号 to ensure color consistency in printing.
• Interior Design: When choosing paint, you would refer to the paint chip's 色号.
• Manufacturing: When ordering fabric or materials, the factory will need a precise 色号 to match the product specifications.

• Example 1:
  • 请问，这款口红最热门的色号是哪一个？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, zhè kuǎn kǒuhóng zuì rèmén de sèhào shì nǎ yī ge?
  • English: Excuse me, which is the most popular shade number for this lipstick?
  • Analysis: A very common and polite question to ask a salesperson at a cosmetics counter. 热门 (rèmén) means “popular” or “hot.”
• Example 2:
  • 你用的粉底液是哪个色号的？看起来很自然。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yòng de fěndǐyè shì nǎge sèhào de? Kànqǐlái hěn zìrán.
  • English: What shade number is the foundation you're using? It looks very natural.
  • Analysis: A typical compliment and question between friends.
• Example 3:
  • 我在网上买的这个色号太白了，跟我的肤色不搭。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zài wǎngshàng mǎi de zhège sèhào tài bái le, gēn wǒ de fūsè bù dā.
  • English: This shade number I bought online is too pale; it doesn't match my skin tone.
  • Analysis: A common complaint in the age of online shopping, where you can't swatch colors before buying.
• Example 4:
  • 天啊，阿玛尼红管405这个色号又断货了！我抢不到！
  • Pinyin: Tiān a, Āmǎní hóngguǎn 405 zhège sèhào yòu duànhuò le! Wǒ qiǎng bù dào!
  • English: Oh my god, the Armani Lip Maestro shade 405 is out of stock again! I can't manage to grab one!
  • Analysis: This sentence captures the frenzy around viral products. 断货 (duànhuò) means “out of stock,” and 抢 (qiǎng) means “to snatch” or “vie for,” reflecting the competitive nature of buying popular items.
• Example 5:
  • 这两个色号看起来差不多，但上嘴效果完全不一样。
  • Pinyin: Zhè liǎng ge sèhào kànqǐlái chàbùduō, dàn shàng zuǐ xiàoguǒ wánquán bù yīyàng.
  • English: These two shade numbers look similar, but the effect is completely different once applied to the lips.
  • Analysis: A phrase often used in beauty reviews. 上嘴 (shàng zuǐ) literally means “on the mouth” and is slang for applying a lip product.
• Example 6:
  • 根据您的肤色，我推荐您试试黄一白这个色号。
  • Pinyin: Gēnjù nín de fūsè, wǒ tuījiàn nín shìshi huáng yī bái zhège sèhào.
  • English: Based on your skin tone, I recommend you try the shade “yellow first-tone white” (a common way to describe fair-to-light skin with warm undertones).
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how shades are sometimes described with names rather than just numbers.
• Example 7:
  • 我们墙壁的油漆色号是潘通15-1309。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen qiángbì de yóuqī sèhào shì Pāntōng 15-1309.
  • English: The color code for our wall paint is Pantone 15-1309.
  • Analysis: Shows the use of 色号 in a non-cosmetic, technical context. 潘通 (Pāntōng) is the official transliteration for Pantone.
• Example 8:
  • 你能帮我查一下这个色号对应的CMYK值吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ chá yīxià zhège sèhào duìyìng de CMYK zhí ma?
  • English: Can you help me look up the corresponding CMYK values for this color code?
  • Analysis: A typical request in a graphic design or printing setting.
• Example 9:
  • 买粉底液之前，你最好去专柜试一下色号。
  • Pinyin: Mǎi fěndǐyè zhīqián, nǐ zuìhǎo qù zhuānguì shì yīxià sèhào.
  • English: Before you buy foundation, you'd better go to the counter to test the shade number.
  • Analysis: Practical advice. 专柜 (zhuānguì) means “(brand) counter” in a department store, and 试 (shì) means “to try.”
• Example 10:
  • 小红书上好多人都在推荐YSL小黑条的314号色号。
  • Pinyin: Xiǎohóngshū shàng hǎo duō rén dōu zài tuījiàn YSL xiǎo hēi tiáo de 314 hào sèhào.
  • English: Many people on Xiaohongshu are recommending YSL “Slim Velvet Radical” shade number 314.
  • Analysis: This shows how brand/product nicknames (like 小黑条, “little black stick”) and platform names are used in real-world discussions about a 色号.

The most common mistake for learners is confusing 色号 (sèhào) with 颜色 (yánsè).

• 颜色 (yánsè): Refers to a general color category. (e.g., Red, Blue, Green, Yellow).
• 色号 (sèhào): Refers to the specific, named, or numbered shade within that color category. (e.g., “Dior 999”, “NC15”, “Cherry Red”).

Think of it this way: 红色 (hóngsè) is the 颜色 (color), but “Chili” by MAC is the 色号 (shade). Incorrect vs. Correct Usage:

• Incorrect: 我最喜欢的色号是蓝色。 (Wǒ zuì xǐhuān de sèhào shì lánsè.)
  • Why it's wrong: You are saying “My favorite shade number is blue.” This is illogical. You like the color blue.
• Correct: 我最喜欢的颜色是蓝色。 (Wǒ zuì xǐhuān de yánsè shì lánsè.)
  • English: My favorite color is blue.
• Incorrect: 这个口红的颜色是什么？ (Zhège kǒuhóng de yánsè shì shénme?)
  • Why it's not ideal: While technically understandable (the color is red), it's not what a native speaker would ask if they want to buy it. They need the specific code.
• Correct: 这个口红的色号是什么？ (Zhège kǒuhóng de sèhào shì shénme?)
  • English: What is the shade number of this lipstick?

• 颜色 (yánsè) - Color. The general category that a 色号 belongs to.
• 口红 (kǒuhóng) - Lipstick. One of the most common products discussed in terms of its 色号.
• 粉底液 (fěndǐyè) - Liquid foundation. A product where finding the right 色号 is crucial for a natural look.
• 试色 (shìsè) - To swatch a color. The action of applying a cosmetic (with a specific 色号) to the skin to test its color.
• 肤色 (fūsè) - Skin tone. The primary factor in choosing a foundation or concealer 色号.
• 美妆 (měizhuāng) - Beauty/Makeup. The industry and cultural sphere where 色号 is a dominant term.
• 热门 (rèmén) - Popular / “Hot”. Often used to describe a viral or best-selling 色号.
• 断货 (duànhuò) - Sold out / Out of stock. The common fate of a 热门色号.
• 博主 (bózhǔ) - Blogger / Influencer. Often a 美妆博主 (beauty influencer) who reviews different 色号.
• 潘通 (Pāntōng) - Pantone. The brand name for a global color matching system, used as a specific type of 色号 in design.