暗い

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 部屋が暗いです。▶ —
   The room is dark.
2. 彼は暗い顔をしていました。▶ —
   He had a gloomy face.

Collocations

Mnemonic

暗い kurai — opposite of 明るい. (1) physical dark, (2) dim color, (3) gloomy personality. Kanji 暗 = 日 (sun) + 音 (sound) — phono-semantic where 音 supplies the reading, the meaning is "where the sun can't be seen". For personality, 暗い性格 is a negative judgment — generally avoided in interviews and dating contexts. Intensifiers: 真っ暗 (makkura, pitch dark), 薄暗い (usugurai, dim), 夕暮れ (yuugure, dusk). The vocabulary embeds Japanese social values on character.

Quick check

1. Which character word should be avoided in a Japanese self-introduction at interviews?

   • 暗い性格 (gloomy — negative)
   • 明るい性格 (cheerful — positive)
   • 優しい性格 (gentle)
   • 真面目な性格 (serious)