DARK    黑暗

COLOUR LACKING BRIGHTNESS.
BLACKPITCH-BLACKJET-BLACKINKYUNLITUNILLUMINATEDSTARLESSMOONLESSDINGYGLOOMYDUSKYSHADOWYSHADY
Old Chinese Criteria
1. The most current general word for physical shadowiness and obscurity is probably yōu 幽 (ant. míng 明 "bright"), but this word often has lyrical overtones of secluded peace. 2. Míng 冥 (ant. guāng 光 "light"), hūn 昏 (ant. zhāo 昭 "bright") and the rarer mèi 昧 (ant. xiǎn 顯 "clear and manifest") refer freely to purely optical darkness and abstract obscurity. 3. Xuán 玄 "very dark reddish-black" (ant. bái 白 "plain white") currently refers to mysterious obscurity of the abstract kind. See MYSTERIOUS 4. Huì 晦 (ant. zhāng 彰 "plain and manifest") refers to obscurity, expecially of texts or of thoughts. 5. Měng 蒙 (ant. yào 耀 "bright and clearly visible") refers to psychological dimness, obfuscation of mind. 6. Yǐn 隱 focuses on the inaccessibility to discursive reasoning of what is mysterious. 7. Àn 暗 / 闇 (ant. míng 明 "bright") can refer to darkness but most of the time this word actually refers abstractly to the benightedness of a ruler. 8. Yīn 陰 "shadowy, shaded" (ant.* liàng 亮 "bright") describes the lack of light as contrasted with surrounding light. 9. Ài 曖 is pervasive darkness as a general state, where mèi 昧 is darker than ài 曖. 10. Hēi 黑 (ant.* hào 皓 "shiny and bright") is darkness imposed by the intrinsic darkness of pigment on an object. See BLACK. 11. Yǎo 杳 is used in poetry as a general word referring to darkness. 12. Wū 烏 (ant. hào 皓 "shining white") is quite rare and refers to a high degree of darkness that is without lustre not quite pitch dark.
Modern Chinese Criteria
黑暗 黝暗 昏黑 黝黑 墨黑 漆黑 曖昧 暗昧 黑 黑洞洞 黑沉沉 黑咕隆咚 黑燈瞎火 漆黑一團 伸手不見五指 黑暗 暗無天日 有天無日 不見天日 漆黑一團 一團漆黑 天昏地暗 昏天黑地 長夜難明 烏煙瘴氣 烏七八糟 黑幕重重 豺狼當道 道路以目 削木為吏 萬馬齊喑 上下鉗口 敢怒而不敢言 天下烏鴉一般黑 rough draft to BEGIN TO identify synonym group members for analysis, based on CL etc. 18.11.2003. CH ／
Hyponym
  • OBSCURE　DARK so as to be DIFFICULT to SEE, DIFFICULT to UNDERSTAND OR STRANGE to THINK of. (anc: 7/0, child: 4)
Antonym
  • BRIGHTFEATURE of ISSUING:giving out INTENSE LIGHT.
See also
  • BLACKINTENSELY DARK COLOUR of THINGS LACKING LIGHT.
Hypernym
  • COLOUR　APPEARANCE of SURFACES which REFLECT OR ISSUE LIGHT, PERCEIVED USING the EYES. (anc: 5/0, child: 8)
  • APPEARANCE　CLEAR:visible BUT SUBJECTIVELY PERCEIVED FEATURES. (anc: 4/0, child: 6)
  • FEATURE　ABSTRACT OBJECT a THING is SAID to BE OR to HAVE. (anc: 3/0, child: 19)
  • Novyj objasnitel'nyj Slovar' Sinonimov Russkogo Jazyka ( APRESJAN 2004) p. 1151

  • () p. 16.53

  • Lateinische Synonyme und Etymologien ( DOEDERLEIN 1840) p.

    DARKNESS

    obscurum refers to darkness as an obstruction of light.

    tenebrae refers directly to the absence of light as such.

    caligo denotes a greater degree of darkness than tenebrae.

  • Traite elementaire des synonymes grecques ( DUFOUR 1910) p. 127

  • “荀子”單音節形容詞同義關係研究 ( HUANG XIAODONG 2003) p. 259

  • Lateinische Synonymik ( MENGE) p. 254

  • Handbuch der lateinischen und griechischen Synonymik ( SCHMIDT 1889) p. 46

  • 現代漢語同義詞詞典 ( LIU SHUXIN 1987) p. 2

  • 現代漢語同義詞詞典 ( LIU SHUXIN 1987) p. 8

  • Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the Other Italic Languages ( DE VAAN 2008) p.

    callgo, -inis 'darkness, obscurity' [f. n] (P1.+)

    Derivatives: caligare 'to be dark' (maybe Pac.+ 'to make dark' (uncertain

    attestation), otherwise Cic.+).

    • Words (35 items)

    幽  yōu OC: qriw MC: ʔi̯u 33 Attributions

    The most current general word for physical shadowiness and obscurity is probably yōu 幽 (ant. míng 明 "bright"), but this word often has lyrical overtones of secluded peace.

      Word relations
    • Ant: 明/CLEAR The most general standard and clearly dominant word for things that are easily accessible to the intellect and to the senses is míng 明 (ant. hūn 昏 "unclear").
    • Ant: 明/BRIGHT The general term for what appears luminous or bright in the broadest sense of these terms is míng 明 (ant. àn 暗 "dark" and yǐn 隱 "dark"), a word heavily laden with religious overtones.
    • Epithet: 憂/WORRY The current general term for all sorts of troubled states of mind, as well as reasons for such states of mind, is yōu 憂 (ant. xǐ 喜 "be well pleased" and lè 樂 "feel deep joy"), and this word may freely refer to troublesome matters of the present or of the future, and the word typiccally refers to a termporary state of hightened awareness of what is troublesome and concern about what should be done about it.
    • Epithet: 谷/VALLEY The standard word for a valley is gǔ 谷 (ant. shān 山 "mountain"), and the word presupposes a certain size without emphasising large size.
    • Assoc: 冥/DARK Míng 冥 (ant. guāng 光 "light"), hūn 昏 (ant. zhāo 昭 "bright") and the rarer mèi 昧 (ant. xiǎn 顯 "clear and manifest") refer freely to purely optical darkness and abstract obscurity.
    • Assoc: 昧/DARK Míng 冥 (ant. guāng 光 "light"), hūn 昏 (ant. zhāo 昭 "bright") and the rarer mèi 昧 (ant. xiǎn 顯 "clear and manifest") refer freely to purely optical darkness and abstract obscurity.
    • Assoc: 晦/DARK Huì 晦 (ant. zhāng 彰 "plain and manifest") refers to obscurity, expecially of texts or of thoughts.
    • Assoc: 深 / 深/DEEP The dominant current general word for anything deep in any sense is shēn 深 (ant. qiǎn 淺"shallow").
    • Assoc: 蔽/DARK
    • Assoc: 遼/DISTANT Liáo 遼 is a poetic referring to what is distant and remote in space and therefore an obscure place. Note liáo yuǎn 遼遠.
    • Assoc: 遼/DISTANT Liáo 遼 is a poetic referring to what is distant and remote in space and therefore an obscure place. Note liáo yuǎn 遼遠.

      Syntactic words
    • nobscurity; seclusion
    • nabmetaphysicalthe sphere of dark invisibility; the underworld
    • nsubjectdark place, secluded place
    • vadNdark and shady, dark and secluded (like a shadowy valley); overgrown
    • vibe dark and shady, be secluded
    • vi.redbe all dark; be completely secluded
    • vtoNcausativecause to be dark and uncivilised
    暗  àn OC: qɯɯms MC: ʔəm
    闇  àn OC: qɯɯms MC: ʔəm 18 Attributions

    Àn 暗/闇 (ant. míng 明 "bright") can refer to darkness but most of the time this word actually refers abstractly to the benightedness of a ruler.

      Word relations
    • Ant: 明/BRIGHT The general term for what appears luminous or bright in the broadest sense of these terms is míng 明 (ant. àn 暗 "dark" and yǐn 隱 "dark"), a word heavily laden with religious overtones.
    • Ant: 照 / 照/SHINE
    • Ant: 陽/BRIGHT Yáng 陽 "bright" (ant. yīn 陰 "dark") is simply the opposite of dark and does not connote any high degree of luminosity.
    • Assoc: 昧/DARK Míng 冥 (ant. guāng 光 "light"), hūn 昏 (ant. zhāo 昭 "bright") and the rarer mèi 昧 (ant. xiǎn 顯 "clear and manifest") refer freely to purely optical darkness and abstract obscurity.

      Syntactic words
    • nwhat is dark
    • nabfigurativespiritual darkness
    • nabstativestate of darkness, state of darkness
    • nabtimetime of darkness (after sunset)
    • vadNdark; hidden
    • vadVsecretly
    • vibe without light, be dark
    • vichangeturn dark
    • vtoNcausativedarken
    昏  hūn OC: hmuun MC: huo̝n 8 Attributions

    Míng 冥 (ant. guāng 光 "light"), hūn 昏 (ant. zhāo 昭 "bright") and the rarer mèi 昧 (ant. xiǎn 顯 "clear and manifest") refer freely to purely optical darkness and abstract obscurity.

      Syntactic words
    • ndarkness; by extension: confusion; ignorance
    • nadVat dusk
    • vadNdark and obscure;by extension: confused; benighted; obscured
    • vibe murky, be dim; be dusky by extension: be confused, benighted
    • vi0adNwhen it is dark 昏者
    冥  míng OC: meeŋ MC: meŋ 6 Attributions

    Míng 冥 (ant. guāng 光 "light"), hūn 昏 (ant. zhāo 昭 "bright") and the rarer mèi 昧 (ant. xiǎn 顯 "clear and manifest") refer freely to purely optical darkness and abstract obscurity.

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 幽/DARK The most current general word for physical shadowiness and obscurity is probably yōu 幽 (ant. míng 明 "bright"), but this word often has lyrical overtones of secluded peace.
    • Assoc: 晦/DARK Huì 晦 (ant. zhāng 彰 "plain and manifest") refers to obscurity, expecially of texts or of thoughts.

      Syntactic words
    • n.red:abfigurativeconcealment, secrecy, invisibilityLZ
    • nabfigurativemetaphysial darkness; obfusation;
    • nadVin the dark
    • v.red:adNdark and mysterious
    • v[adN]figurativethe (northern) dark
    • vadNdark
    • vidark and mysterious, like the night
    • vi.redbe very dark and mysterious
    • vi.redfigurativebe very obscure, dark, murky, and mystifying
    陰  yīn OC: qrɯm MC: ʔim 4 Attributions

    Yīn 陰 "shadowy, shaded" (ant.* liàng 亮 "bright") describes the lack of light as contrasted with surrounding light.

      Syntactic words
    • novercast weather
    • vadNdark
    • vibe all dark; shadowy, dark
    • vichangeto get dark; get cloudy (of sky)
    • vtoNcausativecause (ruler) to be in the dark, keep in the dark
    晦  huì OC: hmɯɯs MC: huo̝i 3 Attributions

    Huì 晦 (ant. zhāng 彰 "plain and manifest") refers to obscurity, expecially of texts or of thoughts.

      Word relations
    • Ant: 明/BRIGHT The general term for what appears luminous or bright in the broadest sense of these terms is míng 明 (ant. àn 暗 "dark" and yǐn 隱 "dark"), a word heavily laden with religious overtones.
    • Assoc: 幽/DARK The most current general word for physical shadowiness and obscurity is probably yōu 幽 (ant. míng 明 "bright"), but this word often has lyrical overtones of secluded peace.
    • Assoc: 冥/DARK Míng 冥 (ant. guāng 光 "light"), hūn 昏 (ant. zhāo 昭 "bright") and the rarer mèi 昧 (ant. xiǎn 顯 "clear and manifest") refer freely to purely optical darkness and abstract obscurity.

      Syntactic words
    • v[adN]the dark one
    • vibe dark
    • vifigurativedim and obscure (of texts)
    曖  ài OC: qɯɯds MC: ʔəi 3 Attributions

    Ài 曖 is pervasive darkness as a general state, where mèi 昧 is darker than ài 曖.

      Syntactic words
    • vadNrare and poetic heavily overclouded and dark; cloudy and pregnant with rain, dark and rich
    • vibe dark and heavy with rain
    • vichangebecome dark
    蒙  méng OC: mooŋ MC: muŋ 2 Attributions

    Měng 蒙 (ant. yào 耀 "bright and clearly visible") refers to psychological dimness, obfuscation of mind.

      Syntactic words
    • nobscurity, obfuscation
    • nabfigurativedarkness > obscurity > ignorance, deception, delusion
    • vadNobscured, darkened; beclouded; obfuscated [deluded][CA]
    • vibe overcast
    蔽  bì OC: peds MC: piɛi 2 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 幽/DARK The most current general word for physical shadowiness and obscurity is probably yōu 幽 (ant. míng 明 "bright"), but this word often has lyrical overtones of secluded peace.

      Syntactic words
    • vibe shady and dark
    隱  yǐn OC: qɯnʔ MC: ʔɨn 2 Attributions

    Yǐn 隱, and mì 秘 focus on the inaccessibility to discursinve reasoning of what is mysterious.

      Syntactic words
    • nsubjectdark place
    • vadNfigurativehidden and unclear
    • vibe dark
    • vifigurativebe prone to hiding things from others; be mysterious and enigmatic
    墨  mò OC: mɯɯɡ MC: mək 2 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Ant: 潔 / 絜 / 潔絜洁/PURE Jié 潔/絜 (ant. wū 污 "impure" and zhuó 濁 "dirty") refers abstractly to the absence of any material or immaterial impurity or blemish.

      Syntactic words
    • vi.redbe all dark and black
    • vi0it is dark
    昧  mèi OC: mɯɯds MC: muo̝i 2 Attributions

    Míng 冥 (ant. guāng 光 "light"), hūn 昏 (ant. zhāo 昭 "bright") and the rarer mèi 昧 (ant. xiǎn 顯 "clear and manifest") refer freely to purely optical darkness and abstract obscurity.

      Word relations
    • Ant: 皦/BRIGHT
    • Assoc: 幽/DARK The most current general word for physical shadowiness and obscurity is probably yōu 幽 (ant. míng 明 "bright"), but this word often has lyrical overtones of secluded peace.
    • Assoc: 暗 / 闇/DARK Àn 暗/闇 (ant. míng 明 "bright") can refer to darkness but most of the time this word actually refers abstractly to the benightedness of a ruler.
    • Synon: 暗 / 闇/DARK Àn 暗/闇 (ant. míng 明 "bright") can refer to darkness but most of the time this word actually refers abstractly to the benightedness of a ruler.

      Syntactic words
    • nabactobscurities, obscurantisms
    • vibe dark
    • vi.redbe in complete darkness, find oneself completely in the darkCH
    • vipsychfeel that one is in the dark, feel stupid
    • vtoNcausativecause to be in the dark > conceal, obscure
    晻  yǎn OC: qromʔ MC: ʔiɛm 2 Attributions

    àn

      Syntactic words
    • vadNfigurativedark, benightedLZ
    • vipoetic, rare: dark
    • vi0.redchangeit is getting dark
    • vichangebecome dark
    玄  xuán OC: ɡʷeen MC: ɦen 2 Attributions

    Xuán 玄 "very dark reddish-black" (ant. bái 白 "plain white") currently refers to mysterious obscurity of the abstract kind. See MYSTERIOUS

      Syntactic words
    • nabfeaturethe very dark purple colourCH
    • v[adN]what is very dark purple (the colour taken to be that of Heaven)CH
    青  qīng MC: tsheng OC: tsheeŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vadNsteely dark blueCH
    黑  hēi OC: hmɯɯɡ MC: hək 1 Attribution

    Hēi 黑 (ant.* hào 皓 "shiny and bright") is darkness imposed by the intrinsic darkness of pigment on an object. See BLACK.

      Syntactic words
    • vibe dark
    黑暗  hēi àn OC: hmɯɯɡ qɯɯms MC: hək ʔəm 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPabpsychfigurative: spiritual obfuscation, mental darkness
    冥冥  míng míng MC: -- -- OC: meeŋ meeŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPiredbe quite dark and untransparentVK
    沈陰  chén yīn OC: ɡrlum qrɯm MC: ɖim ʔim 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPibe overcast, be dark
    暗昧  àn mèi OC: qɯɯms mɯɯds MC: ʔəm muo̝i 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPibe undistinguished, be less than well-known
    幽昧  yōu mèi OC: qriw mɯɯds MC: ʔi̯u muo̝i 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPifigurativedark and obcure
    曚  měng OC: mooŋʔ MC: muŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nabfeatureobfuscation of mind
    杳  yǎo OC: qeewʔ MC: ʔeu 1 Attribution

    Yǎo 杳 is used in poetry as a general word referring to darkness.

      Syntactic words
    • vidark
    靉靆  ài dài OC: qɯɯds ɡ-lɯɯds MC: ʔəi dəi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPibe dark; be cloudy
    焞  Click here to add pinyin OC:  MC: 1 Attribution

    tuī

      Syntactic words
    • vibe dim (of light or stars)
    暗處  àn chù OC: qɯɯms qhljas MC: ʔəm tɕhi̯ɤ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPabfeaturedark place> darkness
    翳翳  yī yī MC: 'ej 'ej OC: qee qee 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPidark and unclearDS
    菴  ān OC: qoom MC: ʔəm 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vi0.redit was getting quite dark
    陰暝  yīn míng OC: qrɯm meeŋ MC: ʔim meŋ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPibe pitch dark
    黮  tǎn OC: kh-luumʔ MC: thəm 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vidark
    微  wēi OC: mɯl MC: mɨi 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vifaded, darkish; inconspicuous
    朦朧  méng lóng OC: mooŋ b-rooŋ MC: muŋ luŋ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPadNdark, hazy, dim
    • VPidark, thick-layered
    曭  tǎng OC: thaaŋʔ MC: thɑŋ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vidark, veiled (CC)
    烏  wū OC: qaa MC: ʔuo̝ 0 Attributions

    Wū 烏 (ant. hào 皓 "shining white") is quite rare and refers to a high degree of darkness that is without lustre not quite pitch dark.

      Syntactic words
    • vadNdark
    闇墨  àn mò OC: qɯɯms mɯɯɡ MC: ʔəm mək 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nabfeaturedarkness