Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "cyanosis" shine launin shuɗi na fata da mucous membrane wanda rashin isashshen iskar oxygen a cikin jini ya haifar. Wannan na iya faruwa lokacin da iskar oxygen a cikin jini ya yi ƙasa da ƙasa, kamar yadda lamarin yake a cikin cututtukan numfashi ko na zuciya da jijiyoyin jini wanda ke dagula yanayin musayar iskar oxygen da carbon dioxide a cikin huhu. Cyanosis yawanci ana samun sauƙin gani a cikin leɓuna, gadaje na ƙusa, da kuma fata a kan iyakar, kamar yatsu da yatsu.