Note: explanations based on Shuowen jiezi 說文解字 [Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters] compiled by Xu Shen (c. 100 CE), the earliest extant Chinese dictionary.
- Jiang 绛 [rouge]: “It is the deep red” 大赤也.
- Zhu 朱 [scarlet]: “A type of wood that has a red core, belonging to the family of pine trees and cypress” 赤心木. 松柏屬.
- Chi 赤 [red]: “It is the color of the south” 南方色也.
- Dan 丹 [vermilion]: “It is the red stone from the Ba County (in nowadays Sichuan Province) and the South Yue (in nowadays Zhejiang Province)” 巴越之赤石也.
- Hong 红 [pink]: “It is the red-white cloth” 帛赤白色也. Later this word begins to refer to the whole category of red.
