Hue family
Neutral HEX colors.
Neutral references fall below the deterministic 0.025 OKLCH chroma threshold, so Hue Codex does not assign them a hue angle. This set progresses from black through varied grays to near-white values.
Representative set
Curated neutral HEX colors.
Colors below the 0.025 OKLCH chroma threshold. Choose a color to compare conversions, contrast, palettes, related colors, and ready-to-copy CSS tokens.
Family definition
How Hue Codex classifies neutral colors.
Hue Codex classifies a color as neutral when its OKLCH chroma is below 0.025. Neutral assignment depends on chroma rather than a hue interval, so the family covers black, gray, near-white, and subtly tinted low-chroma values.
Boundary with neighboring families
Neutral has no neighboring hue boundaries. Once chroma reaches 0.025, Hue Codex uses the measured hue interval; below that threshold, the hue angle is not used for the family label.
Name versus measurement
CSS Gray and CSS Grey are aliases for the same value, #808080. Black, White, and many low-chroma off-whites also belong here, but the neutral label does not mean they have equal lightness or interchangeable contrast.
Dark, middle, and light reference points
These fixed examples mark the ordered set by OKLCH lightness. They are orientation points, not claims that a color is suitable for a particular text, interface, or brand role.
| Range position | Color reference | HEX | OKLCH L |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark end | Black | #000000 |
0.0% |
| Middle reference | Light Neutral | #999999 |
68.3% |
| Light end | White | #FFFFFF |
100.0% |
Practical workflow
Use neutral references in three steps.
A family is a starting point for exploration. Make final decisions with the exact color value and the context where it will be used.
- Choose an exact HEX value. Open a reference above to review its measured formats, related colors, role guidance, and copy-ready CSS tokens.
- Check formats and contrast. Use the Color Converter, then verify the intended foreground and background in the Contrast Checker. A family label alone does not establish accessibility.
- Build and document the system. Create related candidates with the Palette Generator and review the reference-data methodology when you need the classification rules and limitations.
Common questions
Neutral color family questions.
- Can a neutral color still have a calculated hue angle?
- A conversion can contain a numerical angle at very low chroma, but Hue Codex does not use it for classification because hue becomes less useful as chroma approaches zero.
- Are CSS Gray and CSS Grey different colors?
- No. Both keywords resolve to #808080, which is a neutral reference with zero OKLCH chroma.
Hue family directory