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How to say 'Dark' or 'Gloomy' in Japanese | 暗い

Wondering how to say 'Dark' or 'Gloomy' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Dark or Gloomy is 'Kurai', written as 暗い in Japanese.'Dark' or 'Gloomy' in hiragana is くらい.

    word

    暗い

    Meaning

    Dark, Gloomy

    Reading

    くらい

    kurai

    Kanji

    暗Darkness

    Explanation

    The Japanese adjective '暗い (くらい)' primarily means 'dark', referring to a lack of light. It can also mean 'gloomy', describing a somber or depressing atmosphere. For example: The room is dark「部屋が暗い」(へやがくらい). His mood is gloomy「彼の気分は暗い」(かれのきぶんはくらい). This word is often used to describe physical darkness, such as a dark room or night, as well as emotional states or situations that feel heavy or depressing. Note that the second meaning is distinct and unrelated to the first, as it refers to an emotional or atmospheric quality rather than a physical one.

    Part Of Speech

    adjective

    Kanji JLPT

    N3

    Kanji Grade

    3

    Frequency

    1532

    Composition

    kanji-hiragana

    Handwriting

This word is an i-adjective. To learn how it transforms in different tenses and forms, explore all its conjugations.

Kanji in the Word 暗い

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    暗

    Meaning

    Darkness

Hiragana in the Word 暗い

This word contains 1 Hiragana character :

  • hiragana

    い

    Reading

    I

Words Related to 暗い Through the Kanji 暗

These 3 Words contain the Kanji 暗 as well.

  • word

    真っ暗

    Meaning

    Pitch dark

  • word

    暗記

    Meaning

    Memorization

  • word

    薄暗い

    Meaning

    Dim

Learn the Word 暗い

Let's make sure you fully understand this word.

What does 'Kurai' (暗い) mean?

'Kurai' means 'Dark' or 'Gloomy' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.