Orange color · XKCD survey name
Tangerine Color Code: #FF9408
The HEX code for Tangerine is #FF9408. It is a medium, vivid orange color made of 255 red, 148 green and 8 blue (HSL 34°, 100%, 52%). Black text reads best on it (9.49:1 contrast).
Tangerine color values
#FF9408
rgb(255, 148, 8)
hsl(34, 100%, 52%)
34, 97%, 100%
hwb(34 3% 0%)
0%, 42%, 97%, 0%
16749576
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Tangerine?
“Tangerine” is a crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey, in which participants typed names for colors they were shown. It is a popular everyday label rather than an official standard.
Its hue angle of 34° places it in the orange part of the color wheel, with 100% saturation (vivid) and 52% lightness (medium). It is a warm color.
Compared with the other orange colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 50% of them and more saturated than 64% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.425, which makes it a light color. That is above the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so black text has the advantage.
Tangerine counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 52% and its relative luminance is 0.425. Black text reads best on it (9.49:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Tangerine
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 2.21:1 Poor | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail |
| Black text | Sample text | 9.49:1 Excellent | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.
Colors that go with Tangerine
Complementary color
Complementary colors sit directly opposite each other on the color wheel (180° apart). They give the strongest hue contrast, which suits calls to action and accents.
Analogous colors
Analogous colors are neighbors on the wheel, 30° either side of the base hue. They blend smoothly and are easy to combine in backgrounds, gradients and illustrations.
Triadic colors
A triadic scheme uses three hues spaced 120° apart. It is lively yet balanced, and works best when one color leads and the other two act as accents.
Split-complementary colors
Split-complementary keeps the base color and uses the two colors on either side of its complement (150° and 210°). The contrast is strong but gentler than a direct complement.
Tetradic colors
A tetradic (rectangle) scheme combines two complementary pairs at 0°, 60°, 180° and 240°. It offers variety but needs one dominant color to stay balanced.
Monochromatic variants
Monochromatic variants keep the same hue and saturation and only change lightness, which makes them dependable for UI scales and subtle layered designs.
A “≈” before a name means the exact harmony color has no named match, so the link goes to the closest named color.
Tints and shades of Tangerine
Lighter tints (mixed with white)
Darker shades (mixed with black)
Select any swatch to copy its HEX code. Build longer scales with the tints and shades tool.
Similar colors
Where to use Tangerine
- Card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (9.49:1 contrast with black)
- Accents that need to stand out: call-to-action buttons, charts and illustrations
- Autumn and food-related designs
- Illustration and icon accents
- Warnings and attention highlights
- Energetic call-to-action buttons
Use Tangerine in CSS
:root {
--color-tangerine: #FF9408;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-tangerine);
background-color: #FF9408;
border: 2px solid #FF9408;
}Questions about Tangerine
What is the HEX code for Tangerine?
Tangerine is #FF9408.
What is the RGB value of Tangerine?
The RGB value of Tangerine is 255, 148, 8: 255 red, 148 green and 8 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(255, 148, 8) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Tangerine?
The HSL value of Tangerine is 34°, 100%, 52% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(34, 100%, 52%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Tangerine?
A standard conversion gives about C 0%, M 42%, Y 97%, K 0%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Tangerine a light or dark color?
Tangerine counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 52% and its relative luminance is 0.425. Black text reads best on it (9.49:1 contrast).
How does Tangerine look with white text?
White text on Tangerine has a contrast ratio of 2.21:1, rated Poor. It falls below the WCAG minimum for text.
How does Tangerine look with black text?
Black text on Tangerine has a contrast ratio of 9.49:1, rated Excellent. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
What colors go well with Tangerine?
Cerulean Blue is its complementary color, and Bright Red sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.
Where can Tangerine be used?
It suits card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (9.49:1 contrast with black); accents that need to stand out: call-to-action buttons, charts and illustrations; autumn and food-related designs.
How do I use Tangerine in CSS?
Use color: #FF9408; for text, background-color: #FF9408; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-tangerine: #FF9408; and reuse it with var(--color-tangerine).
About this color page
Crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey (CC0). Values are calculated from the HEX code; color names are labels, not trademarks or standards unless stated. Screens render colors differently, so always check important colors on your own device. See the disclaimer.