shì sè: 试色 - To Swatch, To Try on a Color

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• Summary: Discover the meaning of 试色 (shì sè), the essential modern Chinese term for “swatching” or trying on colors, particularly for makeup like lipstick and eyeshadow. This guide is perfect for beginners, covering its cultural significance in China's massive beauty and e-commerce industry, its practical use in stores and on social media platforms like 小红书 (Little Red Book), and provides over 10 example sentences to help you use the term like a native.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shì sè
• Part of Speech: Verb (Verb-Object compound)
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: To test or try out a color, especially for cosmetics or paint.
• In a Nutshell: 试色 (shì sè) is the direct equivalent of the English term “to swatch.” It's the action of applying a small amount of a product—most commonly lipstick, eyeshadow, or foundation—onto your skin (usually the back of your hand or arm) to see how the color looks in real life. It's a fundamental step for anyone buying makeup, whether in a physical store or researching online.

• 试 (shì): This character means “to try,” “to test,” or “to attempt.” You'll see it in words like 考试 (kǎoshì - exam) and 尝试 (chángshì - to attempt). It implies an action of experimentation or verification.
• 色 (sè): This character simply means “color” or “hue,” as seen in the word 颜色 (yánsè - color).
• Together, 试色 (shì sè) literally and logically means “to test a color.” The combination is transparent and easy for learners to remember.

The term 试色 (shì sè), while simple, is a window into modern Chinese consumer culture, especially the booming beauty industry and the world of e-commerce. In the West, “swatching” became popular with the rise of beauty gurus on YouTube and Instagram. The phenomenon in China is similar but magnified. Platforms like 小红书 (Xiǎohóngshū - Little Red Book) and 微博 (Weibo) are dominated by posts and videos dedicated to 试色. Beauty influencers, known as 美妆博主 (měizhuāng bózhǔ), can build entire careers on providing detailed, high-quality swatches for their followers. Because online shopping is so prevalent, consumers rely heavily on these online 试色 posts to make purchasing decisions for products they can't test in person. A good 试色 post will show the product under different lighting conditions (natural light vs. indoor light) and on different skin tones. This has created a whole subculture of specific vocabulary, aesthetics, and trust between influencers and their audience. The act of 试色 is not just a practical step; it's a form of shared community research that drives one of the world's largest consumer markets.

试色 (shì sè) is a high-frequency word used in everyday, informal contexts related to shopping and beauty.

• In a Store: You'll use it when asking a sales assistant if you can try a product. It's polite and direct.
• Online: When searching for reviews of a makeup product, you would search for the product name followed by 试色. For example, “Dior 999 试色”. The results will be countless articles, photos, and videos.
• On Social Media: It's a common hashtag (#试色) and a core activity for beauty content creators. A video might be titled “20支热门红色口红全试色” (Swatches of 20 Popular Red Lipsticks).
• As a Noun: While technically a verb, it's often used colloquially to refer to the swatch itself. For example, “你能发我一个试色吗？” (Can you send me a swatch?) - here, it's short for 试色图 (shì sè tú), a swatch picture.

The connotation is neutral and practical. It is used in informal to standard contexts but would be less common in highly formal or academic writing.

• Example 1:
  • 我想在手上试色，看看这个颜色怎么样。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng zài shǒu shàng shì sè, kànkan zhège yánsè zěnmeyàng.
  • English: I want to swatch it on my hand to see how this color looks.
  • Analysis: A classic, practical sentence you would use in a cosmetics store.
• Example 2:
  • 这个美妆博主的口红试色视频拍得特别好，颜色很准。
  • Pinyin: Zhège měizhuāng bózhǔ de kǒuhóng shì sè shìpín pāi de tèbié hǎo, yánsè hěn zhǔn.
  • English: This beauty blogger's lipstick swatch video is filmed especially well; the colors are very accurate.
  • Analysis: This shows how the term is used to describe content on social media.
• Example 3:
  • 你买新粉底液之前，一定要去专柜试色，不然很容易买错色号。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ mǎi xīn fěndǐyè zhīqián, yīdìng yào qù zhuānguì shì sè, bùrán hěn róngyì mǎicuò sèhào.
  • English: Before you buy a new foundation, you must go to the counter to test the color, otherwise it's easy to buy the wrong shade.
  • Analysis: This sentence gives practical advice and connects 试色 with the related concept of 色号 (sèhào), or shade number.
• Example 4:
  • 这家店不提供试色服务，我不太敢买。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā diàn bù tígōng shì sè fúwù, wǒ bù tài gǎn mǎi.
  • English: This shop doesn't offer a swatching service, so I don't really dare to buy.
  • Analysis: Here, 试色 is part of a compound noun, 试色服务 (shì sè fúwù), meaning “swatching service.”
• Example 5:
  • 网上那些试色图有很强的滤镜，一点都不可信。
  • Pinyin: Wǎngshàng nàxiē shì sè tú yǒu hěn qiáng de lǜjìng, yīdiǎn dōu bù kěxìn.
  • English: Those swatch pictures online have very strong filters; they're not trustworthy at all.
  • Analysis: This highlights a common complaint in the online beauty community and uses 试色图 (shì sè tú) - swatch picture.
• Example 6:
  • 她把这个眼影盘里的每个颜色都试色了一遍。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ zhège yǎnyǐng pán lǐ de měi gè yánsè dōu shì sè le yī biàn.
  • English: She swatched every single color in this eyeshadow palette.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how 试色 is used as a verb with a complement of frequency (一遍, one time).
• Example 7:
  • 自然光下的试色比在商店灯光下更准。
  • Pinyin: Zìrán guāng xià de shì sè bǐ zài shāngdiàn dēngguāng xià gèng zhǔn.
  • English: Swatches under natural light are more accurate than under store lighting.
  • Analysis: This sentence provides useful context and vocabulary related to getting a good swatch.
• Example 8:
  • 我正在给我朋友试色，帮她选一支适合她的口红。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zhèngzài gěi wǒ péngyou shì sè, bāng tā xuǎn yī zhī shìhé tā de kǒuhóng.
  • English: I'm swatching for my friend right now, helping her choose a lipstick that suits her.
  • Analysis: This shows how the action can be done for someone else.
• Example 9:
  • 试色之后，我发现这个颜色太亮了，不适合我。
  • Pinyin: Shì sè zhīhòu, wǒ fāxiàn zhège yánsè tài liàng le, bù shìhé wǒ.
  • English: After swatching it, I discovered this color is too bright and doesn't suit me.
  • Analysis: This shows a cause-and-effect relationship, a common reason for swatching.
• Example 10:
  • 这支唇釉的试色效果让我很心动，我马上下单了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhī chúnyòu de shì sè xiàoguǒ ràng wǒ hěn xīndòng, wǒ mǎshàng xiàdān le.
  • English: The result of the swatch for this lip glaze was very tempting, so I placed an order immediately.
  • Analysis: This connects 试色 to the online slang terms 心动 (xīndòng) - to be tempted, and 下单 (xiàdān) - to place an order.

• Don't use it for clothes: This is the most common mistake for learners. To try on clothes, pants, shoes, or anything you wear on your body, you must use 试穿 (shì chuān), which literally means “to try wearing.” Using 试色 for a shirt would sound very strange, as if you were only testing its color by rubbing it on your arm.
  • Incorrect: 我可以试色这件毛衣吗？(Wǒ kěyǐ shì sè zhè jiàn máoyī ma?)
  • Correct: 我可以试穿这件毛衣吗？(Wǒ kěyǐ shì chuān zhè jiàn máoyī ma?)
• Specific vs. General: 试色 is very specific. The more general term for trying out a product (like a skincare sample or a new software) is 试用 (shìyòng). 试色 is a specific type of 试用. If a store gives you a small packet of foundation, you can say you are going to 试用 it. When you put it on your hand to check the color, you are specifically doing the action of 试色.

• 口红 (kǒuhóng): Lipstick. The single most common product associated with 试色.
• 化妆品 (huàzhuāngpǐn): Cosmetics/makeup. The general category of products that are often swatched.
• 美妆博主 (měizhuāng bózhǔ): Beauty blogger/influencer. The primary creators of 试色 content online.
• 小红书 (Xiǎohóngshū): “Little Red Book.” China's premier social media platform for product reviews, lifestyle content, and especially 试色.
• 种草 (zhòng cǎo): “To plant grass.” A popular slang term for making someone want to buy something. A good 试色 post is a very effective way to 种草.
• 拔草 (bá cǎo): “To pull up grass.” The opposite of 种草; deciding not to buy something or losing interest. Seeing a bad 试色 can make you 拔草.
• 色号 (sèhào): Shade number/name. What you are trying to find when you 试色 foundation.
• 试穿 (shì chuān): To try on (clothes, shoes). The direct parallel to 试色 for apparel.
• 试用 (shìyòng): To try out, to sample. A broader term that can encompass 试色. You 试用 a face cream, but you 试色 a lipstick.
• 粉底液 (fěndǐyè): Liquid foundation. Another very common product that requires careful 试色.