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黒衣 (こくい, kokui) Japanese meaning: black clothes | Kotomora

黒こく衣い

also: こくえ · くろぎぬ

こ

く

い

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

black clothes; black garment

Refers to black clothing in general. Can be used for everyday wear, formal attire, or symbolic black garments.

葬そう儀ぎでは黒こく衣いを着きるのが一いっ般ぱん的てきだ。

It is common to wear black clothes at funerals.

彼かれは黒こく衣いに身みを包つつんで現あらわれた。

He appeared dressed in black.

Usage patterns

黒こく衣いをまとうto be clad in black clothes
彼かの女じょは黒こく衣いをまとって舞ぶ台たいに立たった。
She stood on the stage clad in black clothes.
黒こく衣いに身みを包つつむto wrap oneself in black clothes
参さん列れつ者しゃたちは黒こく衣いに身みを包つつんでいた。
The attendees were dressed entirely in black.

Expressions

黒こく衣いの宰さい相しょうBuddhist priest who is also an important politician

Kanji

黒black
衣garment, clothes, dressing

Related words

黒くろ服ふく
黒服 is the casual, everyday word for black clothing (e.g. a suit worn by staff), while 黒衣 is a more formal or literary term for black garments.
黒くろ装しょう束ぞく
黒装束 evokes a dramatic or symbolic full black outfit (e.g. a ninja's garb), whereas 黒衣 simply means black clothing in general.

Opposites

白はく衣いN1
白衣 refers to white garments (e.g. a doctor's coat), the color opposite of 黒衣's black clothing.

Counted with

着ちゃくN2
Used for garments and items of clothing as a countable set or piece.
枚まいN3
Sometimes used when the item is treated as a flat piece of clothing, especially in inventory-like counting.

Written forms

黒衣Usage100%
- こくい
  Standard kanji spelling. The reading こくい is the most common modern reading.
- こくえ
  Alternate reading, less common than こくい. May appear in older or formal contexts.
- くろぎぬ
  Archaic or literary reading. Rarely used in modern Japanese.

Etymology

Compound of 黒 (black) and 衣 (clothing, garment). The reading こくい is the standard on'yomi reading, while くろぎぬ is a kun'yomi-based reading that is now archaic.

こくえ

くろぎぬ