In rainbow tensor models, which generalize rectangular complex matrix model (RCM) and possess a huge gauge symmetry U (N1) × . . . × U (Nr), we introduce a new sub-basis in the linear space of gauge invariant operators, which is a redundant basis in the space of operators with non-zero Gaussian averages. Its elements are labeled by r-tuples of Young diagrams of a given size equal to the power of tensor field. Their tensor model averages are just products of dimensions: χR 1 ,...,Rr ∼ CR 1 ,...,Rr DR 1 (N1) . . . DR r (Nr) of representations Ri of the linear group SL(Ni), with CR 1 ,...,Rr made of the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients of representations Ri of the symmetric group. Moreover, not only the averages, but the operators χ R themselves exist only when these C R are non-vanishing. This sub-basis is much similar to the basis of characters (Schur functions) in matrix models, which is distinguished by the property character ∼ character, which opens a way to lift the notion and the theory of characters (Schur functions) from matrices to tensors. In particular, operators χ R are eigenfunctions of operators which generalize the usual cut-and-join operatorsŴ ; they satisfy orthogonality conditions similar to the standard characters, but they do not form a full linear basis for all gauge-invariant operators, only for those which have non-vanishing Gaussian averages.