Accessibility
Vs white / black
2.52:1 · 8.34:1
Sources
Codes
HEX
#9ca3b8
RGB
rgb(156, 163, 184)
RGBA
rgba(156, 163, 184, 1)
HSL
hsl(225, 16%, 67%)
HSLA
hsla(225, 16%, 67%, 1)
HSV
hsv(225, 15%, 72%)
LAB
lab(67.07% 1.88 -11.65)
LCH
lch(67.07% 11.8 279.17)
OKLAB
oklab(0.7167 0.0005 -0.0315)
OKLCH
oklch(0.7167 0.0315 270.91)
XYZ
xyz(35.46, 36.72, 50.56)
CMYK
cmyk(15%, 11%, 0%, 28%)
CSS
color: #9ca3b8;
CSS variable
--color-9ca3b8: #9ca3b8;
SCSS
$color-9ca3b8: #9ca3b8;
JavaScript
const color = "#9ca3b8";
TypeScript
const color: string = "#9ca3b8";
React
style={{ backgroundColor: "#9ca3b8" }}
JSON
{ "hex": "#9ca3b8", "rgb": { "r": 156, "g": 163, "b": 184 }, "oklch": "oklch(0.7167 0.0315 270.91)" }
Export
:root {
--#9ca3b8-1: #9ca3b8;
}Design systems
An arbitrary HEX is not an official Tailwind, Material, or Bootstrap color. Distance is CIEDE2000.
Nearest Tailwind color
slate-400
Noticeably different · ΔE 3.57 · #94A3B8
Nearest CSS named color
DarkGray
Very different · ΔE 9.59 · #A9A9A9
Nearest Material color
indigo-200
Very different · ΔE 8.43 · #9FA8DA
Nearest Bootstrap color
secondary
Very different · ΔE 17.77 · #6C757D
OKLCH
Generated in OKLCH from this hex. Not an official Tailwind scale unless the hex itself is a Tailwind token.
Palette
Full scale from light tints through the base color into deep shades
Palette
Mixed toward white — soft backgrounds and highlights
Palette
Mixed toward black — depth, text, and emphasis
Palette
Mixed toward neutral grey — muted UI surfaces
Harmony
Opposite on the color wheel for contrast
Harmony
Neighbors that sit comfortably together
Harmony
Evenly spaced triad for vibrant sets
Harmony
Base plus two accents beside the complement
Harmony
Same hue, varied lightness and saturation
Using this color
#9CA3B8 (#9ca3b8) sits in the blue family at about 225° hue, 16% saturation, and 67% lightness. Contrast is 2.52:1 on white and 8.34:1 on black, so near-black labels read more clearly on the swatch itself. Nearest Tailwind token: slate-400 (approximation unless the hex is an official scale stop).
Sensible jobs for this swatch
Do not use #9ca3b8 as small body text on white — 2.52:1 misses WCAG AA (4.5:1). Pair it with a darker shade from the scale below, or check pairs in the contrast checker.
Family context: Trust, calm, and professionalism. The most used color in SaaS, finance, and healthcare. Common uses still include buttons, charts, and accents in the Blue range — always verify the pair for this exact hex in the contrast checker.
Related
Nearby colors from the library by perceptual distance