Charcoal

#4A4A4A

What color is Charcoal?

Charcoal is a very dark gray with a slight warmth to it, hex #4A4A4A, close to the color of slate stone. It is deep enough to read as nearly black but has enough gray in it to feel softer than black.

What is the meaning of the color Charcoal?

Burned wood was ground into charcoal powder and used as a drawing material in Europe from at least the 15th century, making the color name tied directly to that material. The English word charcoal as a color term was recorded by the early 20th century, as the shade became common in industrial and textile production. Worsted wool suiting in charcoal became a standard for professional dress in Britain and the United States through the mid-20th century. The color was formally adopted as part of the British civil service dress code, anchoring its association with authority and formal wear.

RGB
74, 74, 74
HSL
0°, 0%, 29%
CMYK
0, 0, 0, 71
HSV
0°, 0%, 29%
Charcoal color

What colors go with Charcoal?

Colors that pair well with Charcoal include:
Ivory: soft, warm contrast
Navy Blue: classic, deep pairing
Burgundy: rich, warm accent
Sage Green: muted, earthy balance
White: clean, sharp contrast

Similar Colors

Conversions & Codes

Format Value CSS
HEX #4A4A4A color: #4A4A4A;
RGB 74, 74, 74 color: rgb(74, 74, 74);
RGB Percentage 29%, 29%, 29% color: rgb(29%, 29%, 29%);
CMYK 0%, 0%, 0%, 71% Not supported in CSS
HSL 0°, 0%, 29% color: hsl(0, 0%, 29%);
HSV 0°, 0%, 29% Not supported in CSS
CIE-LAB 23, 0, 0 color: lab(23% 0 0);
Decimal 4868682 Not supported in CSS

Color Variations

Shades

#4A4A4A
#434343
#3B3B3B
#343434
#2C2C2C
#252525
#1E1E1E
#161616

Tints

#C9C9C9
#B7B7B7
#A4A4A4
#929292
#808080
#6E6E6E
#5C5C5C
#4A4A4A

Tones

#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A

Hues

#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A
#4A4A4A

Color Harmonies

Analogous

#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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Complementary

#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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Split Complementary

#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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Triadic

#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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Tetradic

#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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Square

#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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#4A4A4A
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CSS & Dev Snippets

CSS
.charcoal {
  color: #4A4A4A;
}
SCSS
$charcoal: #4A4A4A;
RGB
rgb(74, 74, 74)

Accessibility & Contrast

White background

8.86:1
8.86
contrast ratio on a white background
Element
AA
AAA
Small text
Large text
UI element

Black background

2.37:1
2.37
contrast ratio on a black background
Element
AA
AAA
Small text
Large text
UI element

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