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黑暗 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
黑暗hēi’àndarkHSK 6, unknown, 25 strokes, rank #1655, Hard
黑暗hēi’àndarklyHSK 6, unknown, 25 strokes, rank #1655, Hard
黑暗hēi’àndarknessHSK 6, unknown, 25 strokes, rank #1655, Hard
hēi’àn(hei1an4)hei an T1
  1. 1dark
  2. 2darkly
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March 24, 2026

黑暗hēi’àn(hei1an4)

黑暗 (hēi'àn) refers to darkness or obscurity, both in a physical sense, such as a dark room, and in a metaphorical sense, such as dark times or feelings. It is commonly used to describe situations lacking light, clarity, or positivity.

Strokes25Frequency#1655DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, darkness is often associated with negative emotions or events, such as bad luck or sorrow, contrasting with light, which symbolizes hope and prosperity. The phrase '黑暗中的光明' (light in the darkness) conveys a sense of finding hope amidst despair.

Memory Tip

Imagine a black (黑) blanket covering everything, making it dark (暗) and hard to see. The character 黑 looks like a shadowy figure, while 暗 reminds you of a closed door hiding away light, making the scene even more mysterious.

Meanings of 黑暗

hēi’àn(hei1an4)
1dark
2darkly
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 黑暗

黑暗Simplified
25Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 黑暗

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Podcast: 黑暗

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AI Study Notes for 黑暗

Quick Contrast

暗 (àn) - use 黑暗 when emphasizing a lack of light or clarity in a more profound or metaphorical sense, while 暗 is more general and can refer to less intense darkness.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 黑暗 with just 黑 (black) or 暗 (dim), but 黑暗 specifically implies a deeper sense of darkness. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with tone; the first tone (黑) and the fourth tone (暗) must be pronounced correctly.

HSK Study Tips

While 黑暗 is not an HSK word, it can be linked to HSK Level 3 vocabulary such as 明亮 (bright) and 光 (light). Focus on contrasting these terms to understand the concept of light versus darkness in Chinese.

Common Mistakes

Learners may say '黑的暗' thinking it emphasizes darkness, but the correct phrase is simply '黑暗'. Another mistake is using 黑暗 when referring to something dimly lit, where 暗 would be more appropriate.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 黑暗

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Component Characters

黑hēiblack
HSK 512 strokes黑
View full entry
暗ànto close (a door)
HSK 513 strokes日
View full entry

How to say dark in Chinese

“dark” in Chinese is黑暗hēi’àn

黑暗 (hēi'àn) refers to darkness or obscurity, both in a physical sense, such as a dark room, and in a metaphorical sense, such as dark times or feelings. It is commonly used to describe situations lacking light, clarity, or positivity.

When to use 黑暗

Learners often confuse 黑暗 with just 黑 (black) or 暗 (dim), but 黑暗 specifically implies a deeper sense of darkness. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with tone; the first tone (黑) and the fourth tone (暗) must be pronounced correctly.

黑暗 or something close to it

暗 (àn) - use 黑暗 when emphasizing a lack of light or clarity in a more profound or metaphorical sense, while 暗 is more general and can refer to less intense darkness.

What learners get wrong

Learners may say '黑的暗' thinking it emphasizes darkness, but the correct phrase is simply '黑暗'. Another mistake is using 黑暗 when referring to something dimly lit, where 暗 would be more appropriate.

Write 黑暗

黑
暗

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Frequently Asked Questions about 黑暗

Yes, it can metaphorically describe a person's emotional state, such as feeling depressed or hopeless.

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