真っ黒・まっ黒・真黒|まっくろmakkuro[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Which spelling to use
真っ黒真っ黒 is the most common written form and the recommended choice for beginners. It is written with kanji and kana and describes something as pitch black.
まっ黒まっ黒 is a less common written variant of 真っ黒. It uses kanji and kana, but learners should normally choose 真っ黒 instead.
真黒真黒 is the least common of these written forms and uses kanji only. Learners are better served by using 真っ黒, the recommended form.
Definitions
- na-adjective, nounpitch black
Conjugation
| Plain form | 真っ黒（まっくろ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 真っ黒です（まっくろです） |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 真っ黒ではない（まっくろではない） |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 真っ黒ではありません（まっくろではありません） |
| Past (datta) | 真っ黒だった（まっくろだった） |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 真っ黒ではなかった（まっくろではなかった） |
| Te form (de) | 真っ黒で（まっくろで） |
| Adverbial (ni) | 真っ黒に（まっくろに） |
| Conditional (nara) | 真っ黒なら（まっくろなら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym漆黒しっこくWrittenWritten, literary word for a lustrous jet black like lacquer, as in 「漆黒の髪」; 「真っ黒」 is the more colloquial choice.
- Synonym真っ黒いまっくろいNeutralThe plain adjective form with the same meaning as 「真っ黒」; when modifying a noun, 「真っ黒な」 is more common than 「真っ黒い」.
- Related黒っぽいくろっぽいNeutralMeans blackish, tinged with black; a milder degree than 「真っ黒」, which is completely black.
- Related黒くろNeutralA noun for the color black, or for guilt; 「真っ黒」 stresses that something is thoroughly black.
- Related黒いくろいNeutralThe ordinary adjective for black, with no special emphasis; 「真っ黒」 stresses pure black, and also very tanned skin.
- Related黒色くろいろNeutralThe objective name of the color black; 「真っ黒」 adds emphasis to the blackness.
- RelatedブラックNeutralA loanword for black; also describes exploitative companies, as in 「ブラック企業」.
- Related薄黒いうすぐろいNeutralMeans darkish, faintly black; a lighter degree than 「真っ黒」, which is black through and through.
- Antonym真っ白まっしろNeutralAntonym: pure white or a blank state, the opposite of pitch-black 「真っ黒」.
Use 「真っ黒」 for something thoroughly black or deeply sun-tanned. Pick 「漆黒」 for literary jet black, 「黒い」 for ordinary black, 「黒っぽい」 or 「薄黒い」 for blackish shades, 「ブラック」 for exploitative firms, and 「真っ白」 for pure white.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
See also
