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The RGB primary colors are Red, Green, and Blue. This is an additive color model used for screens and digital displays, where combining all three at full intensity produces white light.
The CMYK primaries are Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow, with K representing Black (Key). This is a subtractive color model used in print, where combining all three theoretically produces black (though true black ink is added for depth).
Additive mixing (RGB) combines light — adding colors together moves toward white. Subtractive mixing (CMYK) combines pigments/inks — adding colors together absorbs more light and moves toward black.
In RGB, the secondary colors are Cyan (Green + Blue), Magenta (Red + Blue), and Yellow (Red + Green). These are formed by combining two primary light colors at full intensity.
In the traditional RYB model used in painting, the secondary colors are Orange (Red + Yellow), Green (Yellow + Blue), and Purple/Violet (Red + Blue).