Color #38CBDA Color / Colour Code #38CBDA
This page shows the hex color code for color #38cbda (#38CBDA). The colour is a cyan tone with 69% saturation and 54% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #38CBDA against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#38CBDA paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 156, 186, and 216 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 186, 306, and 66 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #38CBDA
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 186 and saturation at 69%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 186 to 231 degrees create a warm, unified palette. This analogous scheme works for marketing materials, seasonal campaigns, and any design that needs visual warmth without clashing colors.
Combines the base color at hue 186 with its complement at 6 and two adjacent cool tones. This split-complementary approach provides strong visual contrast while remaining more balanced than a pure complementary scheme.
Five evenly spaced hues at 40% saturation and 80% lightness. Pastels are gentle on the eyes and work well for dashboards, onboarding screens, category tags, and any interface where multiple distinct colors are needed without visual aggression.
Shades & Tints of #38CBDA
Lightness variations at hue 186 and 69% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #38CBDA
Design Use Cases for #38CBDA
Vibrant Brand Color
#38CBDA has a strong 69% saturation that makes it ideal for brand identity elements. Use it for logos, primary call-to-action buttons, hero section accents, and marketing materials where visual impact matters. This saturation level is eye-catching without being harsh.
Soft Accent & Highlight
With 54% lightness, #38CBDA has a softer, more approachable quality. It works well for hover states, subtle highlights, progress indicators, and secondary UI elements. This lightness range is particularly effective for tag backgrounds and status indicators.
Clarity & Technology
#38CBDA is in the cyan spectrum (hue 186). Cyan evokes technology, clarity, and innovation. It works well for tech product interfaces, data visualization accents, loading indicators, and futuristic design themes. Cyan provides a modern alternative to traditional blues.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #38CBDA (hue 186) to its complement at hue 6. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 216. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #38cbda, #db4939);
CSS Code for #38CBDA
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #38CBDA based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #38CBDA across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #38CBDA (#38CBDA)
#38CBDA is a cyan color (colour) with RGB channel values of 56 red, 203 green, and 218 blue. The blue channel is dominant by a ratio of 3.9:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 186 degrees with 69% saturation and 54% lightness, placing it in the cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #38CBDA is 161/255 using the ITU-R BT.601 luma formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B). This is a medium-brightness color that can work with either dark or light text depending on font weight and size. For print production, the CMYK equivalent is 74% cyan, 7% magenta, 0% yellow, and 15% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #38CBDA against white is 1.96:1 and against black is 10.72:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 10.72:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #DB4939 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #38CBDA. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #39DB9A and #397ADB, which sit 30 degrees on either side of the hue wheel. To build a complete design system, start with the monochromatic scale above for consistent shade variations, then add one complementary or triadic accent for interactive elements.
How to Explore Color #38CBDA
- Enter your color value in HEX format.
- The tool converts it to RGB, HSL, CMYK format in real time.
- Copy the converted value to your clipboard.
What is HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK color conversion
Converting from HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK translates a color value between two different color models. Different color models are used in web design (HEX, RGB), print (CMYK), and color theory (HSL, HSV).
Related Tools & Colors
Frequently Asked Questions
- What color / colour is #38CBDA?
- #38CBDA is Color #38CBDA, a cyan color (colour) with RGB(56, 203, 218), HSL(186, 69%, 54%), and CMYK(74%, 7%, 0%, 15%). Its perceived brightness is 161/255.
- Is #38CBDA accessible for text?
- Against white, #38CBDA has a contrast ratio of 1.96:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 10.72:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #38CBDA?
- The complementary colour is #DB4939 (hue 6). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #39DB9A and #397ADB. The triadic palette adds #DB39CA and #CADB39 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #38CBDA in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #38cbda; or rgb(56, 203, 218); or hsl(186, 69%, 54%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 186 69% 54%; then use it as hsl(var(--color-primary)).
- Is this color / colour explorer free?
- Yes, completely free with no signup required. All colour calculations run in your browser. You can explore any valid hex color code, not just the pre-generated palette.