Showa era
Apricot Yellow & Khaki +1
Plate 129 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Apricot Yellow, Khaki, Salvia Blue.
#bc892b
orange · 5 palettes
Khaki
About Khaki
Khaki is a mid-tone, vivid orange tone. Its hex value is #bc892b — that is
RGB 188, 137, 43, or HSL 39°, 63%, 45%.
It holds 6.8:1 contrast against dark, so Khaki works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 3.1:1; on black 6.8:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Khaki appears in 5 combinations — most often paired with Grayish Lavender - A, Apricot Yellow and Salvia Blue.
Colours that go with Khaki
From a standard colour wheel, Khaki anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#bc892b #2B5EBC
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#bc892b #BC402B #A7BC2B
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#bc892b #2BBC89 #892BBC
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#bc892b #2BA7BC #412BBC
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Khaki
Khaki is a mid-tone, vivid tone (HSL 39°, 63%, 45%), which makes it a versatile mid-tone for accents, buttons or blocks. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a dark background (6.8:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#2B5EBC) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#BC402B and #A7BC2B) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Studio
Taking Khaki off the screen
A hex code is an instruction to a screen, not a colour. Where this one is going decides what it needs next.
-
...onto paper
Start here if the palette gets printed. Screen colour and ink colour are not the same colour, and this is the deck that translates between them.
Listed on Amazon as Pantone Formula Guide – Coated & Uncoated | Professional PMS Color Matching System for Print, Packaging & Graphic Design | GP1601B
View on Amazon -
...onto a screen you can trust
Start here if it stays digital. An uncalibrated monitor is the single most common reason a palette that looked right on your desk looks wrong everywhere else.
Calibrite
ColorChecker Passport Photo 2
Listed on Amazon as Calibrite ColorChecker Passport Photo 2 Portable Color Calibration Kit for Photo and Video, 4 Target Set for White Balance, Exposure and Creative Look
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...by hand
Start here if you are mixing it. Wada's plates were flat printed colour; gansai pans are the closest everyday medium to them.
Kuretake
Gansai Tambi 36
Listed on Amazon as Kuretake GANSAI TAMBI Watercolor Paint Set 36 Colors
View on Amazon
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Palettes with Khaki
Khaki appears in 5 combinations from the archive. Each pairing reveals how the same color shifts character depending on its neighbours. For how usage like this compares across the whole dictionary, see the data analysis of all 348 plates.
Questions about Khaki
- What is the hex code for Khaki?
- Khaki is #bc892b. It appears in 5 historical color combinations from Sanzo Wada's 1933 "A Dictionary of Color Combinations".
- What does Khaki look like on white and black backgrounds?
- Khaki (#bc892b) has a WCAG contrast ratio of 3.11:1 against white (#FFFFFF) and 6.75:1 against black (#000000). WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
- Where does the color Khaki come from?
- Khaki is documented in Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933, Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada catalogued orange pigments and historical Japanese color terms. The source work is in the public domain.
- Can I use Khaki in my own design or brand?
- Yes. The color name and hex value (#bc892b) are factual data — not copyrightable. Our curation and descriptions are CC BY 4.0 licensed.
From the archive
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