ブラック

• Reading: ブラック
• Romaji: burakku
• Kanji breakdown: From English 'black' — used metaphorically for dark/exploitative, as in ブラック企業 (black company)
• Pronunciation: /bɯ.ɾak.kɯ/

Meaning

Exploitative, toxic — describes companies or environments with terrible working conditions, unpaid overtime, and employee abuse.

ブラック is most commonly seen in ブラック企業 (black company), a term that became a major social issue in Japan from the late 2000s onward. It describes workplaces with illegal overtime, harassment, terrible pay, and a culture of worker exploitation. The term has expanded beyond companies to describe any toxic, exploitative environment or practice. It reflects deep societal concern about Japan's overwork culture.

Examples

1. 前の会社、完全にブラックだったから辞めた。 My last company was totally toxic, so I quit.
2. ブラック企業ランキング見た？あの会社入ってたよ。 Did you see the toxic company rankings? That company was on there.
3. 残業月100時間とか、それブラックでしょ。 A hundred hours of overtime a month? That's a sweatshop.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, social media, casual conversation

Tone: critical, indignant

Do Say

• あそこはブラック企業だから入らない方がいいよ。 (That place is a toxic company, you shouldn't work there.)
• ブラックな働き方、もう限界。 (I can't take this exploitative way of working anymore.)

Don't Say

• 面接で「御社はブラックですか？」と聞くのは避ける (Avoid asking 'Is your company a black company?' in a job interview)

Common Mistakes

• Using ブラック without 企業 can be ambiguous — make context clear so it doesn't just sound like you're saying the colour
• Not knowing the antonym ホワイト企業 (white company = good workplace)

Origin & History

From English 'black' used metaphorically for dark/bad. ブラック企業 (black company) became a buzzword around 2008-2009 and won the buzzword award in 2013, reflecting growing awareness of exploitative labour practices in Japan.

Cultural Context

Era: 2008-2009 emergence, 2013 buzzword of the year

Generation: All working adults

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used nationwide. ブラック企業 is now a widely recognised social issue discussed in media and politics.