How to say "black" in Japanese

• 黒くろJLPT N5approx.Common
  no-adjectiveThe plain noun for the colour black. Use it when black is named or referred to as a colour — the black of hair, clothing or night — rather than describing something directly.
  ２匹ひき犬いぬを飼かっているが、１匹ひきは白しろでもう１匹ひきは黒くろだ。↗

  I have two dogs. One is white and the other black.
• ブラックCommon
  no-adjectiveThe English loanword. It turns up mainly in borrowed expressions and in product, fashion and design names; for direct description of something black, 黒 or 黒い is the usual choice.
• 黒いくろいJLPT N5approx.Common
  i-adjectiveThe adjective for black: use it to describe things as black — hair, clothes, a night sky — whether it comes before the noun or stands as the predicate.
  丈たけの長ながい黒くろいコートを着きた、あの長身ちょうしんの男おとこだった。↗

  It was the tall man in the long, black coat.
• 黒色くろいろCommon
  no-adjectiveNames the colour black as a category, where a colour must be specified or listed — forms, labels, charts. When simply describing something as black, 黒い is the natural choice.
  三原みはら色いろを混合こんごうすると黒色くろいろができる。↗

  Mixture of the three primary colors creates black.
• アングラCommon
  prenominal modifierA shortened loanword meaning the underground, unofficial or illegal sphere; it matches 'black' only in 'black money' — undeclared, illegal money. Never the word you want for the colour.

For the colour use 黒 (noun) or 「黒い」 (adjective), 黒色 when the colour is named or specified, 「ブラック」 in loanword expressions, and 「アングラ」 only for the underground, illegal sense of 'black', as in black money.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 黒くろblack
• ブラックblack
• 黒いくろいblack
• 黒色くろいろblack (colour, color)
• ノワールblack
• 青毛あおげblack (horse coat color)
• 涅色くりいろblack
• 暗然あんぜんdark
• アングラunderground (economy, press, etc.)
• 黒石くろいしblack (go pieces)
• アンダーグラウンドunderground (economy, press, etc.)
• 青あおblack (horse coat color)
• ストレートstraight (liquor)
• Ｋケーkey (color)