暗い

• Reading: くらい
• Romaji: kurai
• Kanji breakdown: 暗 (kura/an) — dark, gloomy, dim
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.ɾa.i/

Meaning

Dark; gloomy; dim. Describes a lack of light or a somber mood.

An i-adjective with both literal and figurative uses. Literally, it describes darkness or dimness: 暗い部屋 (a dark room). Figuratively, it can describe a gloomy personality or mood: 暗い人 (a gloomy person), 暗い話 (a dark/depressing story). The antonym is 明るい (akarui, bright). Conjugates regularly: 暗くない, 暗かった.

Examples

1. この部屋は暗いです。 This room is dark.
2. 暗くなる前に帰りましょう。 Let's go home before it gets dark.
3. 夜道は暗くて怖いです。 The road at night is dark and scary.

Usage Guide

Context: environment, weather, mood

Tone: negative

Origin & History

The kanji 暗 combines 日 (sun) and 音 (sound), where 音 serves as a phonetic element. The original meaning was the absence of sunlight — darkness.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal