View source for Cyan

{{Short description|Color between blue and green}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{about|the color||Cyan (disambiguation)|other uses}}
{{Infobox color
 |title=Cyan 
 |hex=00FFFF
 |image={{photomontage
|photo1a=Nympheas 71293 3.jpg
|photo1b=American Robin Eggs in Nest.jpg
|photo1c=
|photo2a=Lidded Funerary Urn (Lunghu Ping) with Dog and Dragon LACMA 53.41.3a-b (cropped).jpg
|photo2b=Uranus clouds.jpg
|photo2c=Arba'een Pilgrimage - Iranian People- Shia Muslim 15 (cropped).jpg
|photo3a=Wham-a different corner (cropped).jpg
| size = 243
| color_border = #FFFFFF
| color = #F9F9F9
| foot_montage =}}
| caption= Clockwise, from top left: ''Water Lilies'' by [[Claude Monet]]; [[American robin]]'s eggs; [[surgical mask]] and [[headscarf]] of an [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]] woman; shallow water on a sandy beach near [[Barcelona]]; a [[China|Chinese]] funerary urn; the planet [[Uranus]]
 |wavelength=490–520
 |frequency=610–575
 |symbolism=[[water]]
 |source=[[CSS Color Module Level 4000]]<ref>[http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-color/#svg-color CSS Color Module Level 4000]</ref>
|cmyk=(100, 0, 0, 0)}}

'''Cyan''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|aɪ|.|ə|n|,_|-|æ|n}})<ref>{{cite OED|cyan}}</ref><ref>{{cite Dictionary.com|cyan|access-date=30 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite American Heritage Dictionary|cyan}}</ref> is the color between [[blue]] and [[green]] on the [[visible spectrum]] of [[light]].<ref>{{cite Merriam-Webster|cyan|access-date=30 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Shorter Oxford English Dictionary |edition=5th |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2002}}</ref> It is evoked by light with a predominant wavelength between 500 and 520 [[nanometre|nm]], between the wavelengths of green and blue.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://physics.about.com/od/lightoptics/a/vislightspec.htm |title=Visible Light Spectrum – Overview and Chart |first=Andrew Zimmerman |last=Jones |publisher=[[About.com]] |access-date=30 September 2014 |archive-date=3 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103185102/http://physics.about.com/od/lightoptics/a/vislightspec.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the [[subtractive color]] system, or [[CMYK color model]], which can be overlaid to produce all colors in paint and color printing, cyan is one of the [[primary color]]s, along with [[magenta]] and [[yellow]]. In the [[additive color]] system, or [[RGB color model]], used to create all the colors on a computer or television display, cyan is made by mixing equal amounts of [[green]] and [[blue]] [[light]]. Cyan is the [[complementary color|complement]] of [[red]]; it can be made by the removal of red from white. Mixing red light and cyan light at the right intensity will make [[white]] light. It is commonly seen on a bright, sunny day in the sky.

==Shades and variations ==
Different [[shades of cyan]] can vary in terms of hue, chroma (also known as saturation, intensity, or colorfulness), or lightness (or value, tone, or brightness), or any combination of these characteristics. Differences in value can also be referred to as tints and shades, with a tint being a cyan mixed with white, and a shade being mixed with black.

Color nomenclature is subjective. Many shades of cyan with a bluish hue are called blue. Similarly, those with a greenish hue are referred to as green. A cyan with a dark shade is commonly known as [[teal]]. A '''teal blue''' shade leans toward the blue end of the spectrum. Variations of teal with a greener tint are commonly referred to as '''teal green'''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://knockoffdecor.com/what-color-is-teal/ |title=What Color Is Teal? How You Can Use it in Your Home |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=Knock Off Decor |last=Sadana |first=Nishtha |date=11 August 2021 }}</ref>

[[turquoise (color)|Turquoise]], reminiscent of the stone with the same name, is a shade in the green spectrum of cyan hues.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://differencedigest.com/education/general/what-is-the-difference-between-cyan-and-turquoise/ |title=What is the difference between cyan and turquoise? |date=2023-08-20 |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=Difference Digest}}</ref> [[sky blue|Celeste]] is a lightly tinted cyan that represents the color of a clear sky.  Other colors in the cyan color range are [[electric blue (color)|electric blue]], [[aquamarine (color)|aquamarine]], and others described as [[blue-green]].

==History ==
Cyan boasts a rich and diverse history, holding cultural significance for millennia. In ancient civilizations, [[turquoise]], valued for its aesthetic appeal, served as a highly regarded precious gem. Turquoise comes in a variety of shades from green to blue, but cyan hues are particularly prevalent.  Approximately 3,700 years ago, an intricately crafted dragon-shaped treasure made from over 2,000 pieces of turquoise and jade was created. This artifact is widely recognized as the oldest Chinese dragon totem by many Chinese scholars.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Archaeologists Find Oldest Chinese Dragon Totem |url=http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/Archaeology/147178.htm |date=2005-11-01 |access-date=2024-02-14 |agency=Xinhua News Agency}}</ref>

Turquoise jewelry also held significant importance among the [[Aztecs]], who often featured this precious gemstone in vibrant frescoes for both symbolic and decorative purposes. The Aztecs revered turquoise, associating its color with the heavens and sacredness.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://azteczone.com/blogs/aztec-culture-articles/aztec-colors |title=What are the Aztec colors? |date=2023-08-12 |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=AZTECZONE |archive-date=2024-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227061331/https://azteczone.com/blogs/aztec-culture-articles/aztec-colors |url-status=usurped }}</ref> Additionally, ancient [[Egypt]]ians interpreted cyan hues as representing faith and truth, while [[Tibet]]ans viewed them as a symbol of infinity.<ref name="artandobject_com">{{Cite web |url=https://www.artandobject.com/news/allure-and-power-color-teal |title=The Allure and Power of the Color Teal |date=2022-06-21 |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Art & Object |last=Parker |first=Dian}}</ref>

After earlier uses in various contexts, cyan hues found increased use in diverse cultures due to their appealing aesthetic qualities in religious structures and art pieces. For example, the prominent dome of the [[Goharshad Mosque]] in [[Iran]], built in 1418, showcases this trend. Additionally, [[Pontormo|Jacopo da Pontormo's]] use of a teal shade for [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Mary's]] robe in the 1528 painting ''[[Carmignano Visitation]]'' demonstrates the allure for these hues.<ref name="artandobject_com" /> During the 16th century, speakers of the English language began using the term ''[[turquoise (color)|turquoise]]'' to describe the cyan color of objects that resembled the color of the stone.<ref>Maerz and Paul (1930). ''A Dictionary of Color''. New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 206; Color Sample of Turquoise [green]: Page 73, Plate 25, Color Sample I5.</ref>

Impressionist artists, such as [[Claude Monet]] in his renowned ''[[Water Lilies]]'', effectively incorporated cyan hues into their works. Deviating from traditional interpretations of local color under neutral lighting conditions, the focus of artists was on accurately depicting perceived color and the influence of light on altering object hues. Specifically, daylight plays a significant role in shifting the perceived color of objects toward cyan hues.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/avant-garde-france/impressionism/a/impressionist-color |title=Impressionist color |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Khan Academy |last1=Grant |first1=Kim |publisher=Google Classroom |last2=Cramer |first2=Charles |year=2021}}</ref> In 1917, the color term ''[[teal]]'' was introduced to describe deeper shades of cyan.<ref>Maerz and Paul (1930). ''A Dictionary of Color''. New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 205 (text), 101 (teal color sample). Plate 39 color sample L7 (on p. 101)</ref>

In the late 19th century, while ''traditional'' nomenclature of '''red''', '''yellow''', and '''blue''' persisted, the printing industry initiated a shift towards utilizing '''magenta''' and '''cyan''' inks for '''''red''''' and '''''blue''''' hues, respectively. This transition aimed to establish a more versatile color [[gamut]] achievable with only three primary colors.  In 1949, a document in the printing industry stated: “The '''four-color''' set comprises '''Yellow''', '''Red (magenta)''', '''Blue (cyan)''', '''Black'''”. This practice of labeling '''magenta''', '''yellow''', and '''cyan''' as '''''red''''', '''''yellow''''', and '''''blue''''' persisted until 1961.  As the hues evolved, the printing industry maintained the use of the ''traditional'' terms '''red''', '''yellow''', and '''blue'''. Consequently, pinpointing the exact date of origin for '''[[CMYK]]''', in which '''cyan''' serves as a primary color, proves ''challenging''.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Semantic shift of the colour-terms ''maroon'' and ''magenta'' in British Standard English |journal=Revista de Lenguas para Fines Específicos |last=Wright |first=Laura |url=https://ojsspdc.ulpgc.es/ojs/index.php/LFE/article/view/121 |date=2011-11-27 |volume=17 |issue= |pages=341–376 }}</ref>

In August 1991, the HP Deskwriter 500C became the first Deskwriter to offer color printing as an option. It used interchangeable black and color (cyan, magenta, and yellow) inkjet print cartridges.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twenty Years of Innovation: HP Deskjet Printers 1988 – 2008 |website=Hewlett-Packard |year=2008 |url=https://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press_kits/2008/deskjet20/bg_deskjet20thannivtimeline.pdf}}</ref> With the inclusion of cyan ink in printers, the term "cyan" has become widely recognized in both home and office settings. According to TUP/Technology User Profile 2020, approximately 70% of online American adults regularly use a home printer.<ref>{{Citation |title=Home Printer Trends in the US |last=Ness |first=Dan |date=2021-02-25 |url=https://metafacts.com/home-printer-trends-in-the-us-tupdate/ |access-date=2024-04-21}}</ref>

==Etymology and terminology==
Its name is derived from the [[Ancient Greek]] word ''kyanos'' (κύανος), meaning "dark blue enamel, [[Lapis lazuli]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=cyan|title=Online Etymology Dictionary|access-date=30 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dku%2Fanos|title=Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, κύα^νος|access-date=30 September 2014}}</ref> It was formerly known as "cyan blue"<ref>{{cite book|title = The Colorist: Designed to Correct the Commonly Held Theory that Red, Yellow, and Blue are the Primary Colors and to Supply the Much Needed Easy Method of Determining Color Harmony|author = J. Arthur H. Hatt|publisher = D. Van Nostrand Company|year = 1908|url = https://archive.org/details/coloristdesigned00hatt |page = [https://archive.org/details/coloristdesigned00hatt/page/22 22]}}</ref> or cyan-blue,<ref>''Shorter Oxford English Dictionary'', 5th edition.</ref> and its first recorded use as a color name in [[English language|English]] was in 1879.<ref>Maerz and Paul ''A Dictionary of Color'' New York:1930 McGraw-Hill page 194</ref> Another origin of the color's name can be traced back to a [[dye]] produced from the [[cornflower]] (''Centaurea cyanus'').<ref>''The Pigment Compendium: A Dictionary of Historical Pigments'', Nicholas Eastaugh, Valentine Walsh, Tracey Chaplin, Ruth Siddall, 2004, Routledge, {{ISBN|9781136373855}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2OH28vpzzMsC&pg=PT395 |title=Pigment Compendium: A Dictionary of Historical Pigments |isbn=9781136373855 |access-date=30 September 2014 |last1=Eastaugh |first1=Nicholas |last2=Walsh |first2=Valentine |last3=Chaplin |first3=Tracey |last4=Siddall |first4=Ruth |date=30 March 2007 |publisher=Routledge}}</ref>

In most languages, 'cyan' is not a basic [[color term]] and it [[wikt:phenomenologically|phenomenologically]] appears as a greenish vibrant [[hue]] of blue to most English speakers. Other English terms for this "borderline" hue region include ''blue green'', ''aqua'', ''turquoise'',<ref>{{cite book |last1=Raffman |first1=Diana |title=Unruly Words: A Study of Vague Language |date=2014 |publisher=OUP USA |isbn=9780199915101 |pages=56–57 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NVfSAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA57 |access-date=31 July 2019}}</ref> ''teal'', and ''grue''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kay |first1=Paul |last2=Maffi |first2=Luisa |title=Number of Basic Colour Categories |url=https://wals.info/chapter/133 |website=The World Atlas of Language Structures Online |publisher=Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology |access-date=4 May 2021}}</ref>

==On the web and in printing==

===Web colors cyan and aqua===
{{Infobox color
|title=Cyan (additive secondary)
|hex=00FFFF
|source=[[List of HTML color names|X11]]
|isccname=Brilliant bluish green}}

The [[web color]] cyan shown at right is a [[secondary color]] in the [[RGB color model]], which uses combinations of red, green and blue light to create all the colors on computer and television displays. In [[X11 color names|X11 colors]], this color is called both cyan and [[aqua (color)|aqua]]. In the HTML color list, this same color is called ''aqua'', a name also used due to the color's common association with [[water]], such as the appearance of the water at a tropical beach.

The web colors are more vivid than the cyan used in the [[CMYK]] color system, and the web colors cannot be accurately reproduced on a printed page. To reproduce the web color cyan in inks, it is necessary to add some white ink to the printer's cyan below, so when it is reproduced in printing, it is not a primary subtractive color.

===Process cyan===
{{Infobox color
|title=Cyan (subtractive primary)
|hex=00B7EB
|source=<!-- tintbook does not tell me any of this: --> CMYK<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tintbook.com/|title=tintbook.com|access-date=30 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310213952/http://www.tintbook.com/|archive-date=10 March 2007|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date = November 2017}}
|isccname=Brilliant greenish blue}}

Cyan is also one of the common inks used in [[four-color printing]], along with [[magenta]], [[yellow]], and [[black]]; this set of colors is referred to as CMYK. In printing, the cyan ink is sometimes known as printer's cyan, process cyan, or process blue.

While both the additive secondary and the subtractive primary are called ''cyan'', they can be substantially different from one another. Cyan printing ink is typically more saturated than the RGB secondary cyan, depending on what [[RGB color space]] and ink are considered. That is, process cyan is usually outside the RGB [[gamut]],<ref>{{cite book |author1=P.U.P.A. Gilbert |author2=Willy Haeberli |title=Physics in the Arts |date=2011 |publisher=Academic Press |isbn=9780123918895 |page=110 |edition=Revised |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bobHqrTny4QC&pg=PA110 |access-date=31 July 2019}}</ref> and there is no fixed conversion from CMYK primaries to RGB. Different formulations are used for printer's ink, so there can be variations in the printed color that is pure cyan ink. This is because real-world subtractive (unlike additive) color mixing does not consistently produce the same result when mixing apparently identical colors, since the specific frequencies filtered out to produce that color affect how it interacts with other colors. [[Phthalocyanine Blue BN|Phthalocyanine blue]] is one such commonly used pigment. A typical formulation of ''process cyan'' is shown in the color box on the right.

==In science and nature==

===Color of water===
{{Main|Color of water}}
* Pure water is nearly colorless. However, it does [[water absorption|absorb]] slightly more red light than blue, giving significant volumes of water a bluish tint; increased scattering of blue light due to fine particles in the water shifts the blue color toward green, for a typically cyan net color.<ref>{{cite book|title = Clouds in a Glass of Beer: Simple Experiments in Atmospheric Physics|author = Craig F. Bohren|publisher = Courier Dover Publications|year = 2001|isbn = 0-486-41738-7|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=CZuNCZqtZZUC&pg=PA156 }}</ref>

===Cyan and cyanide===
* [[Cyanide]] derives its name from [[Prussian blue]], a blue pigment containing the cyanide ion.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GfqpDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA572|title=Colour Design: Theories and Applications|last=Best|first=Janet|date=2017-06-08|publisher=Woodhead Publishing|isbn=9780081018897|language=en}}</ref>

=== Oxygen ===

* [[Liquid oxygen]] ([[oxygen]] cooled to [[Cryogenics|below −183 °C]]) is a clear cyan liquid.

===Bacteria===
* [[Cyanobacteria]] (sometimes called blue-green algae) are an important link in the [[food chain]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MdvdCgAAQBAJ&q=Cyanobacteria+%28sometimes+called+blue-green+algae%29+are+an+important+link+in+the+food+chain.&pg=PR23 |title=Impact of Water Pollution on Human Health and Environmental Sustainability |last=A. Elaine |first=McKeown |date=2015-10-27 |publisher=IGI Global|isbn=9781466695603|language=en}}</ref>

===Astronomy===
* The [[planet]] [[Uranus]] is colored cyan because of the abundance of [[methane]] in its [[atmosphere]]. Methane absorbs red light and reflects the blue-green light which allows observers to see it as cyan.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/pia00032.html |title=Uranus in True and False Color |date=2015-04-02 |publisher=NASA |access-date=2017-09-28}}</ref>

===Energy===
* [[Natural gas]] (methane), used by many for [[home cooking]] on [[gas stove]]s, has a cyan colored [[flame]] when burned with a mixture of air.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.elgas.com.au/blog/1585-why-does-a-gas-flame-burn-blue-lpg-gas-natural-propane-methane|title=Gas Flame Colour Temperature Chart (Yellow Flame vs Blue Flame)|last=Hahn|first=Eric|website=ELGAS – LPG Gas for Home & Business|access-date=2017-11-10}}</ref>

===Photography and film===
* [[Cyanotype]], or [[blueprint]], a [[monochrome photography|monochrome]] [[List of photographic processes|photographic printing process]] that predates the use of the word ''cyan'' as a color, yields a deep ''cyan-blue'' colored print based on the Prussian blue pigment.<ref>{{cite book|title = Cyanotype: the history, science and art of photographic printing in Prussian blue|author = Mike Ware|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=C-7I69gFIbMC&pg=PA21 |publisher = NMSI Trading Ltd|year = 1999|isbn = 1-900747-07-3}}</ref>
* [[Cinecolor]], a bi-pack color process, the photographer would load a standard camera with two films, one orthochromatic, dyed red, and a panchromatic strip behind it. Color light would expose the cyan record on the ortho stock, which also acted as a filter, exposing only red light to the panchromatic film stock.<ref>Belton, John (2000): CinecoIor. In: ''Film History, ''12,4, Color Film (2000), pp. 344–357.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/oldcolor/cinecolor2.htm|title=Cinecolor|website=widescreenmuseum.com|access-date=2017-11-10}}</ref>

===Medicine===
* [[Cyanosis]] is an abnormal blueness of the skin, usually a sign of poor oxygen intake; patients are typically described as being "cyanotic".<ref name=Mosby>{{cite book |title=[[Mosby's Medical, Nursing & Allied Health Dictionary]] |series=Mosby-Year Book |year=1994 |page=425 |edition=4th}}</ref>
* [[Cyanopsia]] is a [[color blindness|color vision defect]] where vision is tinted blue. This can be a [[Adverse effect|drug-induced side effect]] or experienced after [[cataract]] removal.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Green and blue make cyan.png|In the [[RGB color model]], used to make colors on computer and TV displays, cyan is created by the combination of green and blue light.
File:RGB color wheel.svg|In the [[RGB]] and [[CMYK color model|CMY(K)]] color wheel, cyan is midway between blue and green.
File:SubtractiveColor.svg|In the [[CMYK color model]], used in color printing, cyan, [[magenta]] and [[yellow]] combined make black. In practice, since the inks are not perfect, some black ink is added.
File:Refill Ink Kit Color crop.jpg|Color printers today use, magenta, cyan and yellow ink to produce a wide range of colors.
File:Komplementärfarben cyan auf rot.svg|Cyan and red are complementary colors in most color spaces (mixing them in equal amounts produces an achromatic color). They have a strong contrast.
File:Wham-a different corner.jpg|Cyan is the color of shallow water over a sandy beach. The water absorbs the color red from the sunlight, leaving a greenish-blue color.
File:Samarkand05.jpg|The dome of the [[Tilla Kari Mosque]] in [[Samarkand]], [[Uzbekistan]] (1660) is cyan. The color is widely used in architecture in Turkey and Central Asia.
File:Uranus Voyager2 color calibrated.png|The planet [[Uranus]], seen from the ''[[Voyager 2]]'' spacecraft. The cyan color comes from a combination of [[methane gas]] and atmospheric haze in the planet's atmosphere.
File:Wirbelsäulenoperation OKM.jpg|alt=A surgical team in Germany. It has been suggested that surgeons and nurses adopted a cyan-colored gown and operating rooms because it is complementary to the color of red blood and thus reduced glare, though the evidence for this claim is limited.|A surgical team in Germany. It has been suggested that surgeons and nurses adopted a cyan-colored gown and operating rooms because it contrasts the color of red blood, thus reducing glare,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Belkin |title=Surgical scrubs--where we were, where we are going. |journal=Todays Surg Nurse |date=March–April 1998  |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=28–34 |pmid=10026627}}</ref> though the evidence for this claim is limited.
File:Old photo colors degredated into cyan.jpg|The pigments in color photographs may degrade at different rates, potentially resulting in a cyan tint.
File:Liquid oxygen in a beaker (cropped and retouched).jpg|While [[oxygen]] is normally a colorless gas in standard temperature and pressure, [[liquid oxygen]] is a clear, pale cyan liquid.
</gallery>

==See also==
{{commons category}}
* [[Blue–green distinction in language]]
* [[New riddle of induction]]
* [[Shades of cyan]] 
* [[Lists of colors]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Shades of cyan|state=uncollapsed}}
{{Shades of green}}
{{Electromagnetic spectrum}}
{{web colors}}
{{Color topics}}

[[Category:Primary colors]]
[[Category:Secondary colors]]
[[Category:Optical spectrum]]
[[Category:Shades of blue]]
[[Category:Shades of green]]
[[Category:Rainbow colors]]
[[Category:Shades of cyan| ]]
[[Category:Tertiary colors]]