Looking up...
黑白色
hēi bái sè
black and white
这张照片是黑白色的。
This photo is in black and white.
formal
A color scheme consisting of black, white, and shades of gray.
这部电影的画面都是黑白色，让人怀念上个世纪的经典。
The film's scenes are in black and white, evoking nostalgia for the last century.
艺术家偏爱黑白色，因为它能突出光影和构图。
Artists prefer black and white because it highlights light and shadow as well as composition.
Often used in photography, film, and design to emphasize contrast, mood, or timelessness.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguish from color terms
黑白色 refers specifically to the absence of color (grayscale), while '黑色' (black) and '白色' (white) are individual colors. Avoid using it to describe objects that are purely black or white.
Word Origin
Combines the characters '黑' (hēi, black) and '白' (bái, white) with '色' (sè, color). The phrase emerged in modern Chinese to describe visual media lacking color.
Usage Notes
Commonly used to describe visual content (e.g., films, photographs) that lacks color. In art and design, it may symbolize simplicity, contrast, or nostalgia.
Word Breakdown
黑
black
root白
white
root色
color
suffix汉英词典