Japanese word

薄暗い

Pronunciation

Romajiusugurai

Meaning

  • i-adjectivedim

Example

部屋は薄暗いです。heya wa usu gura i de su

The room is dim.

Illustration for 薄暗い (dim)

More examples

窓のない廊下は昼間でも薄暗いです。mado no na i rō ka wa hiru ma de mo usu gura i de su

A hallway without windows is dim even during the day.

Core concept

Expresses a low level of light that leaves a place neither fully dark nor clearly bright.

Common phrases

  • 薄暗い場所usu gura i ba sho

    dim place

  • 薄暗い部屋usu gura i heya

    dim room

  • 薄暗い明かりusu gura i a ka ri

    dim light

Similar words

暗いkurai: Describes a place with very little light, making its surroundings hard to see clearly.
ほの暗いhonokurai: Describes a place or space that is slightly dark because only a small amount of light reaches it.

Definition in Japanese

光が少なく、物の見分けがつきにくいほど暗いさま。hikari ga suku na ku mono no mi wa ke ga tsu ki ni ku i ho do kura i sa ma

Word origin

The native Japanese compound 薄暗い (usugurai) joins 薄い (usui, "slight") with 暗い (kurai, "dark"), creating the sense of being slightly dark.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may use gloomy for a dark room, but gloomy can also describe a person's mood, while 薄暗い (usugurai) focuses on the room's limited light.

Other meanings

  • gloomyi-adjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 薄暗さusugurasadimnessnoun

Word lists with this word