====== sèhào: 色号 - Shade Number, Color Code ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **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.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **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).
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **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.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
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.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
The use of 色号 is overwhelmingly practical and context-driven.
=== In the Beauty World ===
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 Design and Manufacturing ===
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 Sentences =====
  * **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.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
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?
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[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.