Japanese Conversation · Level 15
90 words
Japanese word
暗い
Pronunciation
Romajikurai
Meaning
- i-adjectivedark
Example
この部屋は暗いです。ko no heya wa kura i de su
This room is dark.
More examples
カーテンを閉めると、部屋は暗いです。kā te n o shi me ru to heya wa kura i de su
When I close the curtains, the room is dark.
電気を消すと、部屋が暗くなります。den ki o ke su to heya ga kura ku na ri ma su
The room becomes dark when I turn off the light.
Core concept
The adjective 暗い (kurai) describes something lacking enough light and also conveys a gloomy or subdued emotional quality.
Common phrases
暗い部屋kura i heya
dark room
暗い顔kura i kao
gloomy expression
暗い色kura i iro
dark color
Similar words
薄暗いusugurai: Describes a place or object with little light, making it hard to see.
Definition in Japanese
周囲に光がなく物が見えにくいさま、または気分や雰囲気が重く沈んでいるさま。shū i ni hikari ga na ku mono ga mi e ni ku i sa ma ma ta wa ki bun ya fun i ki ga omo ku shizu n de i ru sa ma
Word origin
The Japanese adjective 暗い (kurai) is a native word related to the older adjective 暗し (kurashi), meaning "dark," whose form changed into the modern ending い (i).
Usage tips
- As an i-adjective, 暗い (kurai) can be followed directly by です (desu) in polite speech, unlike a noun that needs a different sentence pattern.
Other meanings
- gloomyi-adjective
Opposites
- 明るいakaruibrighti-adjective
Related words
- 暗さkurasadarknessnoun
- 暗がりkuragaridark placenoun