黑暗 hēi’àn dark
dark; darkly; darkness
How to remember 黑暗: 黑 black + 暗 dark = dark.
Characters
How it is used
- Both literal darkness and a moral/social 'dark' - 黑暗的房间 (hēi'àn de fángjiān) a dark room, but also 黑暗的社会 (hēi'àn de shèhuì) a corrupt, oppressive society.
- For simple lack of light in everyday speech people also say 天黑了 (tiān hēi le); 黑暗 leans heavier and more written, and carries the figurative gloom 光 does not.
- Opposes 光明 (guāngmíng, light/bright future) - the pair is a stock metaphor.
Example sentences
- 我害怕一个人处在黑暗之中。 Wǒ hàipà yígè rén chùzài hēiàn zhīzhōng.I was scared to be alone in the dark.
- 我们的眼睛需要时间来适应黑暗。 Wǒmen de yǎnjīng xūyào shíjiān lái shìyìng hēiàn.Our eyes take time to adjust to the dark.
- 因为闪光灯坏了，他不能在黑暗中拍照。 Yīnwèi shǎnguāngdēng huài le, tā bùnéng zài hēiàn zhōng pāizhào.The flash wasn't working, so he couldn't take a picture in the dark.