黒い

• Reading: くろい
• Romaji: kuroi
• Kanji breakdown: 黒 (kuro/koku) — black
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.ɾo.i/

Meaning

Black. Describes the color black in objects, clothing, and hair.

An i-adjective for the color black. Used for concrete descriptions: 黒い髪 (black hair), 黒い猫 (a black cat), 黒い鞄 (a black bag). Can also carry figurative meanings of wickedness or guilt in expressions like 腹が黒い (lit. black-bellied, meaning scheming). The noun form is 黒 (kuro). Conjugates regularly: 黒くない, 黒かった.

Examples

1. 黒い鞄を持っています。 I have a black bag.
2. 猫は黒い目をしています。 The cat has black eyes.
3. 黒い服が好きです。 I like black clothes.

Usage Guide

Context: colors, fashion, descriptions

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 黒 depicts a window with soot from a fire underneath, representing the color of soot and charcoal. The four dots at the bottom are the fire radical 灬.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal