惨白 cǎnbái deathly pale
How to remember 惨白: 惨 miserable + 白 white = deathly pale.
Characters
How it is used
- Deathly/ghastly pale - of a face drained of color, or wan light - 脸色惨白 (liǎnsè cǎnbái) a face gone deathly pale, 惨白的月光 (cǎnbái de yuèguāng) pale, cold moonlight.
- The 惨 gives it a sickly, frightened, or bleak overtone, unlike neutral 苍白 (cāngbái, pale).
- Signals shock, illness, or fear made visible on the face.