How to say "dark" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 暗いくらいi-adjectiveThe basic word for 'dark' in the sense of little or no light: a dark room, street, or night. It also covers the figurative sense 'gloomy', as of a mood, expression, or outlook.あたりがもう暗くなっていることに気がついた。↗I observed that it had already got dark.
- na-adjective, nounA loanword for 'dark', found chiefly in set phrases, names, and figurative uses with a gloomy or sinister nuance; for saying a room or night is dark, 暗い is the word you want.
- 濃いこいi-adjectiveFor 'dark' describing a colour: a deep, dark shade, as of a dark blue or dark green. It says the colour itself is deep and rich, not that a place has little light.
- 浅黒いあさぐろいi-adjectiveCovers 'dark' of a person's skin or complexion: swarthy or tanned. It is not the word for dark rooms, nights, or colours generally.
- 黒っぽいくろっぽいi-adjectiveCovers 'dark; blackish': a colour tending toward black, such as darkish clothes or a darkish shade. It is about colour, not about a place having little light.
Use 「暗い」 for darkness from lack of light and for gloomy moods, 「濃い」 for deep colour shades, 「黒っぽい」 for blackish colours, 「浅黒い」 for dark skin, and 「ダーク」 mostly in set phrases and figurative uses.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 暗いくらいdark
- ダークdark
- 濃いこいdeep (colour)
- 浅黒いあさぐろいdark (skin, complexion, etc.)
- 黒っぽいくろっぽいdark
- ノワールblack
- どんよりdark
- 濃のうdark (color)
- 暗澹あんたんdark
- 暗然あんぜんdark
- 冥々めいめいdark
- 杳ようdark
- 濃ゆいこゆいdeep (colour)
- どす黒いどすぐろいdarkish
- 薄黒いうすぐろいblackish
- 墨染めすみぞめdyeing black
- 幽々ゆうゆうdeep
- 辛気臭いしんきくさいdepressing
- 黒みがかったくろみがかったblackish
- 影のあるかげのあるgloomy (of a person)
- 特濃とくのうhighly concentrated
- 黒いくろいdark
- 靉靆あいたいdark (mood)
See also
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