Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
後ろ暗い (うしろぐらい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
i-adjective
shady ; underhanded ; questionable
Describes a person, action, or situation that feels morally dubious, secretive, or not entirely honest. Often implies a sense of guilt or something to hide.
後うし
ろ
暗ぐら
い
取とり
引ひき
に
関かか
わっ
て
いる
らしい
。
He seems to be involved in underhanded dealings.
Written forms 後うし ろ 暗ぐら い Usage 81%
後うし ろぐらい Usage 10%
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less common but still encountered.
うしろぐらい Usage 10%
うしろ 暗ぐら い
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; less common but still encountered.
Kanji 暗 darkness, disappear, shade Similar words 怪あや しい 怪しい is broader, covering suspicious, dubious, or unreliable things, while 後ろ暗い specifically implies a hidden, guilty, or morally questionable aspect.
後うし ろめたい 後ろめたい focuses on a personal feeling of guilt or unease about one's own actions, whereas 後ろ暗い can describe both the feeling and the objective shadiness of a situation.
Etymology Compound of 後ろ (ushiro, 'behind') + 暗い (kurai, 'dark'), literally 'dark behind'. The figurative meaning of shadiness or guilt likely developed from the image of something hidden in the dark behind one's back.
