Meaning

Primary

Dark

Word Type

い adjective

Explanation

This is a single kanji with an on the end, meaning you know it's probably an adjective. What's the adjective form of dark? It's dark.

Reading

くらい
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You didn't learn that reading with this kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you:
You're thrown into something dark and small. A lid is closed on top of you, and you are confused. What have you been thrown in? You find out you've been thrown in a cooler (くら). Feel afraid like you would be if you were thrown in such a dark cooler like this. Is it cold?

Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 暗い色

    a dark color

    暗い所

    a dark place

    暗い場所

    a dark place

Context Sentences

もうちょっとiPhoneの画面を暗くしてくれませんか。

Can you make your iPhone screen a bit darker, please?

田中さんは暗やみきょうふしょうなので、部屋が暗いとねむれないんですって。

I heard that Mr. Tanaka has nyctophobia, so he can't sleep in a dark room.

最近、暗いニュースばっかりだけど、こんな暗い世の中でも滅茶苦茶良いことだってあるんだよ。えっと、それで…うーん。何を言いかけたのか忘れちゃったんだけど、とにかく、僕と結婚してくれませんか?

Everything in the news has been depressing lately, but there is a great big silver lining to this dark cloud, you know. And... well... I kind of lost my train of thought, but, anyway, will you marry me?

Kanji Composition