音読み: サイ
訓読み: いろどる・あや
画数: 11
部首: 彡（さんづくり）
Meaning
Color / Paint / Decorate / Brilliance.
- 彩色 — coloring / painting
- 色彩 — colors / hues
- 光彩 — brilliance / radiance
- 多彩 — colorful / diverse
- 鮮彩 — vivid colors
彩 combines 彡 — a symbol of decoration and patterns — with phonetic cues. It expresses the idea of adding color, brilliance, and beauty. This is why it appears in words for painting, vivid hues, and artistic expression.
Think of 色 — the basic idea of color. 彩 builds on this, adding brilliance and decoration. Together in 色彩, it means the full range of colors or hues.
Forms
光彩 — brilliance / radiance / splendor