Translation guide
How to express 'blacken' in Japanese, covering making something black, becoming black, and related figurative uses.
彼は髪を黒く染めた。
He dyed his hair black.
Means to darken or blacken, often implying a dull or dirty blackening. It is the transitive form of 黒ずむ.
煙が天井を黒ずませた。
The smoke blackened the ceiling.
A technical term meaning to cause black discoloration, used in scientific or industrial contexts.
この化学反応は物質を黒変させる。
This chemical reaction blackens the substance.
To turn black or become blackened, often due to burning, aging, or a natural process.
The standard intransitive expression for 'become black'. It uses the adjective 黒い (black) with the verb なる (to become).
空が黒くなった。
The sky blackened.
バナナが黒くなった。
The banana turned black.
Means to become blackish or darken, often with a nuance of dirtiness or dullness. Commonly used for surfaces stained by smoke or age.
Specifically means to become scorched or charred, turning black from burning. Used for food or materials.
A technical term for black discoloration, used in scientific or medical contexts.
傷口が黒変した。
The wound blackened.
To damage someone's reputation or make something seem evil.
Means to defile, tarnish, or disgrace. Often used for reputation, honor, or name.
彼はチームの名声を汚した。
He blackened the team's reputation.
Literally 'to wound', but can be used figuratively to damage reputation or feelings.
Means to slander or defame. A stronger, more direct term for blackening someone's name.
彼は政敵を中傷した。
He blackened his political opponent's name.
黒くする is transitive (someone makes something black), while 黒くなる is intransitive (something becomes black). Choose based on whether there is an agent causing the change.
English 'blacken' in the sense of defaming is not directly translated with color words. Use verbs like 汚す or 傷つける instead of 黒くする.
彼の名前を黒くした。
I blackened his name. (unnatural)
壁が煙で黒ずんでいる。
The wall is blackened with smoke.
トーストが焦げて黒くなった。
The toast burned and blackened.
その噂が彼の評判を傷つけた。
The rumor blackened his reputation.