黒い
黒い · i-adjective
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 黒い | 黒くない |
| Polite | 黒いです | 黒くないですalso 黒くありません |
| Past polite | 黒かったです | 黒くなかったですalso 黒くありませんでした |
| Past | 黒かった | 黒くなかった |
| Te-form | 黒くて | 黒くなくて |
| Adverbial | 黒く | |
| Conditional | 黒ければ | 黒くなければ |
| Tara conditional | 黒かったら | 黒くなかったら |
Meanings
Basic color adjective for something that is black.
I bought black shoes.
Used for things that look dark or blackish rather than pure black; also common for skin made dark by sun exposure.
My arms got dark from sunburn at the beach.
Figurative use for something suspected of wrongdoing, illegality, or criminal involvement; common in collocations such as 黒い噂 and 黒い金.
Suspicious rumors about that company never stop.
sooty; blackened with dirt; covered in grime
Describes something that has become black or dark because of soot, dirt, smoke, or grime.
The bottom of the pot is black with soot.
Moral or character judgment, often seen in the fixed expression 腹が黒い, meaning secretly malicious or scheming.
He looks kind, but he is black-hearted.
inauspicious; ill-boding; unlucky
Figurative and somewhat literary use where black suggests an ominous or unlucky sign, as in expressions like 黒い影を落とす.
The accident cast an ominous shadow over the entire plan.
Usage patterns
- 黒い髪black hair
She has black hair.
- 肌が黒いto have tanned or dark skin
He got tanned from swimming in the sea.
- 黒い噂が立つa suspicious rumor arises about someone
There are various suspicious rumors circulating about him.
- 黒い煙sooty or black smoke
Black smoke is rising from the factory.
- 黒い影を落とすto cast an ominous shadow over something
The incident cast an ominous shadow over his future.
- 黒い金illicit or dirty money
The politician had received dirty money.