adjective / noun HSK 4
dark · darkness · dim · gloomy
Meaning
黑暗 describes the absence of light or a dark environment. It can refer to physical darkness (like a dark room) or be used metaphorically to describe difficult, troubling, or morally corrupt situations and periods in life or society.
Usage
黑暗 is commonly used both literally (dark places, nighttime) and figuratively (dark times, corrupt society). When describing a physical space, it often appears with 很 or other degree adverbs. The metaphorical usage frequently appears in literature and formal contexts to describe oppressive social conditions or difficult personal circumstances.
Examples
- 01房间里很黑暗，我什么都看不见。, .The room is very dark, I can't see anything.
- 02那是一段黑暗的历史时期。.That was a dark period in history.
Characters
Common collocations
- 黑暗时代dark ages
- 黑暗的角落dark corner
- 黑暗势力dark forces, evil forces
- 一片黑暗pitch darkness, complete darkness
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters relate to darkness: 黑 means black or dark, while 暗 means dim or hidden. Together they form an intensified compound meaning complete darkness.