Cyan vs Aqua
Can you tell them apart?
#00FFFF
#00CED1
Perceptual difference (ΔE): 17.8 — clearly different.
In CSS, the keywords 'cyan' and 'aqua' map to exactly the same hex value, which fuels the confusion. But in everyday use they've drifted apart. Cyan keeps its identity as the pure blue-green primary of CMYK printing — maximally saturated, almost neon, the ink used in your printer. Aqua in decorating and fashion language tends to mean a slightly deeper, more complex blue-green that recalls sea water and tropical pools rather than a printer's ink cartridge. The distinction is more cultural and contextual than purely technical.
How to tell them apart
Cyan is almost aggressively bright — the pure 100% blue-green primary with no warm dilution. Aqua in common speech is softer and slightly more complex, like looking down into shallow water rather than at a colour chart.
Color values
| HEX | #00FFFF |
|---|---|
| RGB | 0, 255, 255 |
| HSL | 180°, 100%, 50% |
| CMYK | 100, 0, 0, 0 |
| HEX | #00CED1 |
|---|---|
| RGB | 0, 206, 209 |
| HSL | 181°, 100%, 41% |
| CMYK | 100, 1, 0, 18 |
FAQ
- Are cyan and aqua the same colour?
- In CSS they are — both keywords map to #00FFFF. In common language, aqua implies a slightly more muted, real-world blue-green.
- Is aqua more green or more blue?
- Aqua sits between green and blue, but the term often implies a slight blue dominance, like sea water in sunlight.