暗い Dark

Meaning

Primary

Dark

Word Type

い adjective

Explanation

This is a single kanji with an い 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

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

Common Word Combinations

• 〜が暗い

  空が暗い

  the sky is dark

  部屋が暗い

  the room is dark

  辺りが暗い

  the area is dark, to be dark around someone

• 〜暗い

  少し暗い

  a little dark

  かなり暗い

  quite dark

  まだ暗い

  still dark

• 暗い〜

  暗い場所

  a dark place

  暗い所

  a dark place

  暗い色

  a dark color

Context Sentences

アレ？なんか画面がいつもより暗い。

Huh? The screen is darker than usual.

田中さんの部屋はいつも暗い。

Mr. Tanaka's room is always dark.

最近は、暗いニュースばっかりでホントにイヤになります。

I really hate all the gloomy news lately.

Kanji Composition

1. 暗

   あん Dark