闇
yami[ja̠mʲi]
The English word darkness is translated into Japanese as 闇 (yami). Wiktionary also lists 暗黒 (ankoku).
Meaning: state of being dark (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 闇 | yami | [ja̠mʲi] (narrow) [ã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| 暗黒 | ankoku | [ã̠ŋko̞kɯ̟] (narrow) |
Both 闇 and 暗黒 refer to the state of being dark.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 暗黒 is composed of the characters for 'dark/dim' (暗) and 'black' (黒).
Which one should you use?
闇 often carries a more poetic, ominous or metaphorical connotation, such as an absolute void or the 'darkness of the soul'. In contrast, 暗黒 refers more to a physical state of intense, pitch-blackness or a complete lack of light. Additionally, 暗闇 is a common way to refer to the physical state of being in a dark place or the darkness itself.
How do you pronounce it?
yami
Did you know?
- The word 闇 may share a common linguistic root with the verb 病む, meaning 'to be ill'. This suggests an ancient conceptual link between 'darkness' and 'sickness'.
- In Japanese popular culture, particularly in anime and manga, the term 闇 is frequently used to describe a 'dark' or illicit side of a business or market, similar to the English 'black market'.
- If you are describing a scientific phenomenon like 'dark matter', you would likely use 暗黒物質 (ankoku busshitsu) rather than the more poetic 闇.
Examples in context
- 深い闇だった。It was a deep darkness.This sentence is useful for describing the depth of the darkness using 闇.Tatoeba #5070655 by 999yudai, translation #5272650 by kemushi69
- 暗闇の中に人影が見えた。A form appeared in the darkness.This sentence shows how a figure can be seen within the darkness using 闇.Tatoeba #191253 by bunbuku, translation #28414 by CM
- 吸血鬼は暗闇が好きなんだよ。Vampires like darkness.This sentence expresses a preference for darkness using 闇.Tatoeba #10786723 by small_snow, translation #6399633 by Hybrid
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are walking through a park at night.
- 健太 Kentaこの辺りは闇が深くて怖いね。Kono atari wa yami ga fukakute kowai ne.The darkness is deep around here, so it's scary.
- 美咲 Misaki街灯が少なくて、本当に真っ暗だよ。Gaitou ga sukunakute, hontou ni makkura da yo.There are few streetlights, so it's really pitch black.
- 健太 Kenta美咲、足元に気をつけて。Misaki, ashimoto ni ki o tsukete.Misaki, watch your step.
- 美咲 Misakiうん、早く明るい場所へ行こう。Un, hayaku akarui basho e ikou.Yeah, let's get to a bright place quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “darkness” translations and entries 闇, 暗黒, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 闇, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
