Dark Cyan
A balanced, professional tone of Dark Cyan
Dark Cyan is a cool, muted tone that balances professional reliability with a refreshing feel. The hex code for this shade is #008b8b. Because it maintains a 5.1:1 contrast ratio against black, this color is a safe choice for legible body text. Avoid using it on cluttered backgrounds, as it shines brightest when paired with clean, neutral off-whites or charcoal greys in interface design.
About Dark Cyan
Deep pool water at the shallow end
What does dark cyan mean?
Dark cyan often reads as water, depth, and cleanliness, since it sits between blue and green where oceans and chlorine live. Its low lightness makes it heavy and grounded, so it feels steady and enclosed rather than bright or airy.
Where you see dark cyan
- swimming pool tile
- peacock feathers
- sea glass
- glazed ceramic pots
- medical scrubs
- vintage diner booths
What it works for
Use it as a solid anchor color in tech branding, swimwear packaging, tile patterns, and dark interface backgrounds.
What colors go with dark cyan?
Coral #ff7f50Coral sits opposite on the color wheel, so the warmth and coolness sharpen each other.Sand #e2ca76Pale sand lifts the darkness of the cyan and mimics a shoreline palette.Burnt Orange #cc5500The muted orange echoes the cyan's depth without the brightness of pure orange.Cream #fffdd0Cream keeps the pairing soft while the cyan carries all the color weight.Charcoal #36454fTwo dark colors stack into a moody, late-night scheme with no clash.
Questions about Dark Cyan
What is the hex code for Dark Cyan?
Dark Cyan is #008b8b. In RGB that is rgb(0, 139, 139), in HSL hsl(180, 100%, 27%) and in CMYK 100%, 0%, 0%, 45%.
Why is #008b8b considered a reliable choice for UI text?
Dark Cyan maintains a 5.1:1 contrast ratio against black backgrounds, ensuring high readability for body copy while remaining softer and less aggressive than pure black or navy. It provides a professional, stable appearance that works well in modern dashboard interfaces.
Is Dark Cyan readable on white or black?
Dark Cyan has a 4.14:1 contrast ratio on white and 5.06:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it works only for large text (24px, or 18.5px bold) and on black it works for body text. Try other pairs in the contrast checker.