pastel

Compared meaning: light in color (adjective).

比较义项：颜色浅、淡（形容词）。

• light

  The most neutral, everyday word for a light shade of any color; used broadly with no hint of complexion or design style.

  该词是表示颜色浅淡最普通、最中性的说法，可以泛指任何浅色，不涉及肤色或设计风格的含义。

  I always buy light-colored shirts in summer because they stay cooler under the sun.

  我夏天总是买浅色衬衫，因为它们在阳光下更凉快。

• pale

  Often describes a lack of color or vividness, especially a person's face losing its normal color from illness, fear, or tiredness; also fits faded, washed-out shades.

  常表示缺乏血色或色彩不鲜艳，尤其指人因生病、害怕或疲惫而脸色发白；也可以形容褪色、暗淡的颜色。

  He looked pale after staying up all night studying.

  熬夜学习了一整晚后，他看起来脸色苍白。

• pastel 本词

  Names a specific family of soft, muted, delicate colors (like baby pink or mint) favored in design and fashion; not used to describe a person's complexion.

  特指一类柔和、淡雅、精致的颜色（如淡粉色、薄荷绿），常见于设计和时尚领域，不用来形容人的脸色。

  She painted the nursery walls in a soft pastel pink.

  她把婴儿房的墙壁刷成了柔和的淡粉色。

Light, pale, and pastel can all mean light in color. Light is the common word for any light shade. Pale suggests missing color, for a pale face. Pastel names soft colors used in design. This does not cover light meaning bright, or pale meaning weak.

这三个词都能表示颜色浅淡，但语气和用法不同：light最常见、最中性，可以泛指任何浅色；pale强调缺乏鲜艳或血色，常用来形容人脸色苍白；pastel特指柔和淡雅的一类颜色，多用于设计、时尚语境。这里不比较light的“光”“轻的”等其他义项，也不比较pale的“无力的、站不住脚的”等其他义项。