Harlequin
A vivid green between chartreuse and green on the colour wheel
Harlequin is a bright, highly saturated colour found halfway between green and chartreuse on the RGB colour wheel. Its name was first recorded in English in 1923, and it is known for its pure, rich tone that sits close to the spectral colour at 552 nanometres.
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- Harlequin sits halfway between green and chartreuse on the colour wheel
- It is a pure spectral colour at about 552 nanometres
- The name was first recorded in English in 1923
- Harlequin paint for cars can appear different colours from different angles
What colour is Harlequin?
Harlequin is a vivid, highly saturated green that sits between green and chartreuse on the colour wheel, but is closer to green than to yellow. It is a pure spectral colour, meaning it can be found in the visible spectrum of light, specifically at around 552 nanometres. The colour stands out for its intensity and clarity, making it distinct from other greens and yellow-greens.
Where does Harlequin come from?
The name 'harlequin' was first used for this colour in English in 1923. Its position on the colour wheel is halfway between green and chartreuse, and it was shown in this spot in the 1930 book A Dictionary of Color. The term also refers to the multicoloured costumes of traditional harlequin characters, but as a colour, it has a specific place in modern colour terminology.
How Harlequin is defined
Harlequin as a colour is defined by its position on the RGB colour wheel, halfway between green and chartreuse. It is a pure spectral colour, which means it can be matched to a specific wavelength of light—about 552 nanometres—on the visible spectrum. It is not tied to a particular pigment or dye.
Where Harlequin is used
Harlequin is sometimes used in packaging, such as the boxes for Silver Patron tequila. In the early 2000s, a special automotive paint called 'harlequin' was developed, which changes colour depending on the angle of view. The word 'harlequin' is also used to describe diamond-shaped or multicoloured patterns, but the colour itself is a specific, bright green.
Green around the world
What the green family means from country to country.
A green kerchief is the sign of the campaign for legal abortion. Huge crowds wore it in 2018, and the movement was called the green wave.
Politics and protestHopeSource: Green scarfGreen and gold have been the official national colours since 1984 and are worn by national sports teams. They echo the leaves and flowers of the golden wattle.
Festival and celebrationPrideSource: National colours of AustraliaA Test cricketer is given a dark green cap, the baggy green, on first playing for Australia. Many players wear the same faded cap for a whole career.
Festival and celebrationPrideSource: Baggy greenThe green field of the flag stands for the land and its rice fields. Many people also read it as the youth and vigour of the country.
Nature and renewalPolitics and protestHopeSource: Flag of BangladeshThe flag is white, green and red. The green band, which took the place of the blue in the Russian flag, is read as the country's forests and farmland.
Politics and protestNature and renewalSource: Flag of BulgariaThe green field of the flag is commonly said to stand for the forests. It was first the colour of the House of Braganza, the family of the first emperor.
Politics and protestNature and renewalPrideSource: Flag of BrazilShades and relatives of Harlequin
Harlequin is located between green and chartreuse on the colour wheel, making it distinct from both. It is sometimes confused with chartreuse green, but harlequin is closer to green and more saturated. The term 'harlequin' can also refer to multicoloured or prismatic effects, but as a colour name, it refers to this specific shade.
Colours that go with Harlequin
Harmonies are worked out from the value #3FFF00. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Harlequin
What colour is harlequin?
Harlequin is a vivid, highly saturated green found halfway between green and chartreuse on the colour wheel. It is closer to green than to yellow.
Where does the name 'harlequin' come from?
The name 'harlequin' was first recorded as a colour name in English in 1923. It is also used for multicoloured patterns, like those in traditional harlequin costumes.
Is harlequin a natural or synthetic colour?
Harlequin is defined as a pure spectral colour at about 552 nanometres, not tied to any specific pigment or dye.
How is harlequin used?
Harlequin has been used in packaging, such as tequila boxes, and as a special automotive paint that changes colour depending on the angle.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Shades of green" (the section "Harlequin"), written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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