Keyword
black
Info
FrequencyTop 200-300
Type
Kyōiku (2nd grade) 
?
Shinjitai ?
KankenLevel 9
Heisig186
Old form黑
Readings
くろ
(74%)
こく
(20%)
ぐろ
(4%)
Composed of
home village
fire sparks
Mnemonic

The bandits set a fire under my home village burning it to the ground, leaving behind nothing but black smoke and ashes.

Used in kanji (2 in total)
black ink
blue-black
Used in vocabulary (535 in total)
black; dark; blackish; suspicious; criminal; darkened and dirty; sooty
black; black stone; guilt; guilty person
pitch-black; jet-black; strongly tanned; deeply sunburnt; sooty; black with dirt
pitch-black; jet-black
dark red; dark brown; reddish brown
black curtain; wirepuller; mastermind; backroom manipulator
darkish; dusky; dark; murky
to be surprised; to be bewildered; to be confused; to be flustered; to roll one's eyes up and down
in deep black; in jet black
black (colour, color)
black cat; Yamato Transport (door-to-door delivery service company)
black and white; monochrome; good and evil; right and wrong; guilt and innocence
black suit; mourning clothes; black-suited staff member (e.g. in restaurant, sex establishment, etc.)
black smoke
to blacken; to darken
black clothes
black person; (arch.) woman in the nightlife business; (arch.) demimondaine; (arch.) geisha and prostitutes
dark; blackish
dark (skin, complexion, etc.); swarthy; tanned
completely black; black from top to bottom; black from head to toe
(being in) the black; surplus; black letter
blackened; black-painted; black-lacquered; blackened thing
dark history; dark past; something one wants to forget or pretend never happened
black lustre; black luster
Meguro City (special ward of Tokyo); Bonin white-eye (Apalopteron familiare)
pupil and (dark) iris of the eye
charred; burnt black; scorched black
pitch black; deep black
mean; malicious; scheming; wicked; black-hearted
thick fog (of suspicion); black veil of secrecy; covered-up crime, unethical act, etc.
malicious; scheming; black-hearted; cruel (contrary to outward behavior); sly; black-hearted
black with hints of blue (as in a bruise); bluish black
dark clouds; black clouds
black spot; black dot; mark indicating a defeat; loss; failure
darkish; dusky; dark; murky
stage assistant dressed in black; stagehand; prompter; behind-the-scenes supporter; string-puller
unbarked lumber
observant eye
black rim; black edge
black-dyed leather; leather dyed in deep indigo; edible mushroom in the Thelephoraceae family
black ground; black cloth
central pillar (of a building); mainstay (e.g. of an economy); backbone (e.g. of a family); provider
pitch-black; jet-black; strongly tanned; deeply sunburnt; sooty; black with dirt
black spot; dark spot; sunspot
pitch-black; jet-black; strongly tanned; deeply sunburnt; sooty; black with dirt
stage assistant dressed in black; stagehand; prompter; behind-the-scenes supporter; string-puller
to determine whether something is right or wrong; to make something clear; to settle a matter
deep black
brown bread; rye bread
black ships; Western ships that came to Japan between the 16th and 19th centuries, esp. those of the Perry Expedition in 1853; foreign disruptor (of the Japanese market); product, person, etc. arriving from the West and disturbing the Japanese market
god of wealth; (arch.) monk's wife
moving into the black; becoming profitable
mass (of people); large crowd
black panther
large-pupilled; dark-eyed; having large irises
black and white; right and wrong
charred; burnt black; scorched black
swarthy; dark-skinned
silhouette; dark shadow
black rain; heavily polluted, radioactive rain sometimes following an atmospheric nuclear explosion (esp. that of Hiroshima)
Kuroshio Current; Japan Current
blackboard eraser
black soybean
the dark side; the seamy side
mole; lentigo; beauty mark; beauty spot
black hair; black-haired horse
completely black; black from top to bottom; black from head to toe
black stone; black (go pieces)
black quartz; morion
completely black; black from top to bottom; black from head to toe
plague; Black Death
blackish; darkish; dark; dusky
black swan (Cygnus atratus)
while alive (e.g. I won't allow ... while I'm alive); as long as one lives
to blacken; to make black
Dark Continent (i.e. Africa)
Berkshire pig; black pig
(unrefined) brown sugar; muscovado
(unrefined) brown sugar; muscovado
black terracotta; black soil
brown sugar syrup
black beard; noh mask with a black beard and protruding chin
black rotary-dial telephone
sunglasses; shady glasses; dark glasses
black with hints of blue (as in a bruise); bluish black
black ball; black, round sigil; pupil; black candy
black powder; gunpowder
pupil and (dark) iris of the eye
while alive (e.g. I won't allow ... while I'm alive)
black rim; black edge
black tinge; black colour; black color; (arch.) black part; (arch.) dark spot
black vinegar, usu. produced from unpolished rice; charred kelp or shiitake mushrooms ground and mixed with vinegar, used to dress raw fish and vegetables
black-dyed leather; leather dyed in deep indigo; edible mushroom in the Thelephoraceae family
Japanese Black (breed of cattle)
black beard; noh mask with a black beard and protruding chin
black pepper (Piper nigrum)
pitch black; deep black
to be surprised; to be bewildered; to be confused; to be flustered; to roll one's eyes up and down
black key (on a piano, organ, etc.)
black lily (Fritillaria camtschatcensis); Kamchatka lily; Kamchatka fritillary
black spot; black dot; bull's-eye; middle dot; interpunct
black lacquer; black-lacquered object; jet black
Black Mass
mole under the eye (supposedly due to having cried)
black cat; Yamato Transport (door-to-door delivery service company)
black pine (Pinus thunbergii); Japanese black pine
black shirt; blackshirts
sky-darkening dust storm
blackhead; dark discoloration; blackening; (black or dark) tarnish
charring; something charred; traditional medicine made from charred ingredients
black sesame
dark bay (horse coat color)
black line; linea nigra; pregnancy line
purulent blood; blood from an open wound or sore
black panther
deep brown; dark tea (e.g. Chinese pu'er tea); fermented tea
Heilongjiang Province (China)
stout; dark beer; porter's ale
blackening
blackish green
black person; darkie; well-tanned person; (wheat) smut; stagehand; prompter
pitch black; deep black
Lindera umbellata (species of spicebush); toothpick; natural wooden chopsticks (tea ceremony); black characters; black text
blackened; black-painted; black-lacquered; blackened thing
black spot; black dot; bull's-eye; middle dot; interpunct
black pepper (Piper nigrum)
Mahakala (incarnation of Mahesvara); Daikokuten; god of wealth
to determine whether something is right or wrong; to make something clear; to settle a matter
bituminous coal
black tinge; black colour; black color; (arch.) black part; (arch.) dark spot
black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegeli)
middle dot; centred period; full-stop mark at mid-character height; interpoint; symbol used for interword separation, between parallel terms, names in katakana, etc.
black sesame
in deep black; in jet black
tooth blackening; tooth-blackening dye
to blacken
black borders; mourning borders (e.g. on an obituary)
eclipse period (in viral lifecycle); eclipse phase; dark age
current account surplus
black charcoal
Celebes crested macaque (Macaca nigra); crested black macaque; Sulawesi crested macaque; black ape
tanned gyaru; gyaru fashion subculture style characterized by deeply-tanned or darkened skin
naturally dark-skinned
black player
black mold (Aspergillus niger); black mould
black slave; black person
charring; something charred; traditional medicine made from charred ingredients
large-pupilled; dark-eyed; having large irises
black mouse; rat with black fur; deceitful employee; unfaithful servant; dark gray; dark grey
glossy black hair (of a young woman); raven black hair
returning to profit; turnaround
dark clouds; black clouds
unpolished rice; unmilled rice; brown rice; black rice
black goat
black spot; black speck
pitch black; completely black
black-and-white television
black maple (Acer nigrum)
black mole; beauty mark
black person; darkie; well-tanned person; (wheat) smut; stagehand; prompter
black crested garment
dark red; dark brown; reddish brown
blackening; going black; turning black
black pepper (Piper nigrum)
butoh; style of contemporary Japanese dance featuring dancers in white paint
expert; professional; master; woman in the nightlife business; demimondaine; geisha and prostitutes
while alive (e.g. I won't allow ... while I'm alive); as long as one lives
scheming; malicious; wicked; blackhearted
Berkshire pig; black pig
ominous smile; dark smile; creepy smile
to blacken (something); to make something black; to talk wrong into right
reverse video; white-on-black; white and black inversion
sable (Martes zibellina)
blowfly (excluding bluebottles and greenbottles)
rye (Secale cereale)
reddish brown tinged with black
second of nine traditional astrological signs (corresponding to Saturn and southwest)
black diamond
black mouse; rat with black fur; deceitful employee; unfaithful servant; dark gray; dark grey
black Lolita (fashion style)
formal, black kimono with designs along the bottom of the skirt worn by married women on ceremonial occasions; married woman's ceremonial kimono
thick black silk from Hachijo Island
black "ro" silk gauze
hydrilla (species of aquatic plant, Hydrilla verticillata); Papenfussiella kuromo (species of brown algae)
spangle (species of black swallowtail butterfly, Papilio protenor)
eunicid worm (Marphysa sanguinea); lugworm (Arenicola brasiliensis); black-colored insect (e.g. stag beetles)
black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)
common crane (Grus grus)
spangle (species of black swallowtail butterfly, Papilio protenor)
purple spot (on a plant)
black goat
black person; darkie; well-tanned person; (wheat) smut; stagehand; prompter
Buddhist priest who is also an important politician
blackened; black-painted; black-lacquered; blackened thing
black diamond; carbon; carbonado
Japanese arborvitae (Thuja standishii)
African American spiritual; Negro spiritual; black spiritual
blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum)
black lustre; black luster
black liquor
black level (image)
Kurozumi-kyo (sect of Shinto)
glossy black hair (of a young woman); raven black hair
Japanese Black (breed of cattle)
blackboard eraser
black crested garment
eastern reef heron (Egretta sacra); Pacific reef heron
common scoter (Melanitta nigra); black scoter (Melanitta americana)
black mole; beauty mark
black-lip pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera)
black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans)
black (i.e. African-American) soldier; buffalo soldier
biotite; black or green mica
black sealing ink; black stamp pad
blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum)
blackbird (Turdus merula)
black bamboo
black mold (Aspergillus niger); black mould
tooth blackening
noh mask used for old man roles (usu. black)
business insolvency due to liquidity problems
black university (e.g. in the US); black college
black panther
kurofuda (type of Japanese playing cards)
sudden rain shower in a dust storm
Japanese wood ant (Formica japonica)
lentigo; mole
ganguro; young girl who heavily tans her skin, bleaches her hair and wears heavy make-up
(lit.) Pacific saury is only good if it's from Meguro
blackshirts (Italian fascist group); squadristi; camicie nere
bouffant cloth cap (traditionally worn by old people and monks)
The Black Cat (1843 short story by Edgar Allan Poe)
black cataract; amaurosis
red-black tree; self-balancing binary search tree
black lily (Fritillaria camtschatcensis); Kamchatka lily; Kamchatka fritillary
Black September (Palestinian extremist group responsible for the massacre of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics)
person who steals money from the workplace; embezzler; untrustworthy person
fake beauty mark; drawn-on beauty spot; tattoo
Rubus mesogaeus (species of blackberry)
black goods; consumer electronics products
meat of a fish (e.g. tuna) that is dark red with blood, usu. coming from the parts close to the spine
black mold (Aspergillus niger); black mould
American black bear (Ursus americanus)
person who steals money from the workplace; embezzler; untrustworthy person
Kuroshio Current; Kuroshio Current Meander
charring; something charred
Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis)
blackshirts (Italian fascist group); squadristi; camicie nere
jet (gemstone)
substantia nigra
southerly wind blowing at the start of the rainy season
Kurokawa Station (Nagoya)
to blacken; to become black
smut fungus (Microbotryum violaceum)
Pacific golden plover (Pluvialis fulva)
blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus); (arch.) black tip
brown sugar syrup
yellow-bellied sea snake (Pelamis platura); yellowbelly sea snake; pelagic sea snake
completely black; black from top to bottom; black from head to toe
Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis)
Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis)
silhouette; dark shadow
tooth blackening; tooth-blackening dye
black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegeli)
black spot; black speck
black spot; black speck
ganguro; young girl who heavily tans her skin, bleaches her hair and wears heavy make-up
blackthroat seaperch (Doederleinia berycoides); rosy seabass
black mouse; rat with black fur; deceitful employee; unfaithful servant; dark gray; dark grey
spangle (species of black swallowtail butterfly, Papilio protenor)
Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi); Ryukyu rabbit
black horse
pitch black; completely black
blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum)
Japanese arborvitae (Thuja standishii)
Indo-Pacific blue marlin (Makaira mazara)
Korean rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii); Schlegel's black rockfish
East Pacific green turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizii); black sea turtle
Japanese buckthorn (Rhamnus japonica var. decipiens)
Japanese buckthorn (Rhamnus japonica var. decipiens)
Kara Khitai (Central Asian Khitan empire; 1132-1211)
Calopteryx atrata (species of damselfly)
fake beauty mark
Japanese thrush (Turdus cardis)
Vespula flaviceps (species of yellowjacket)
sabre-toothed blenny (Aspidontus taeniatus)
Calopteryx atrata (species of damselfly)
noh mask used for old man roles (usu. black)
blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus); (arch.) black tip
Daurian jackdaw (Corvus dauuricus)
bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis)
person who steals money from the workplace; embezzler; untrustworthy person
Japanese carpenter ant (Camponotus japonicus)
smoky brown cockroach (Periplaneta fuliginosa); smokybrown cockroach
smoky brown cockroach (Periplaneta fuliginosa); smokybrown cockroach
smoky brown cockroach (Periplaneta fuliginosa); smokybrown cockroach
(lit.) Pacific saury is only good if it's from Meguro
(lit.) Pacific saury is only good if it's from Meguro
bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum); northern bilberry
bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum); northern bilberry
slip for regular business transactions
Indo-Pacific blue marlin (Makaira mazara)
Indo-Pacific blue marlin (Makaira mazara)
green rice leafhopper (Nephotettix cincticeps)
green rice leafhopper (Nephotettix cincticeps)
Pachyrhynchus infernalis
Eleocharis kuroguwai (species of spikerush); Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis var. tuberosa)
black cataract; amaurosis
black cataract; amaurosis
Black September (Palestinian extremist group responsible for the massacre of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics)
black-footed cat (Felis nigripes)
blackening brittlegill (Russula nigricans)
black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata)
brent goose (Branta bernicla); brant; brant goose
tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)
spotted scat (Scatophagus argus); green scat; red scat
Japanese wagtail (Motacilla grandis)
to blacken; to become black
blackness; deep black
black sake (presented as an offering to the gods)
melanocarcinoma; melanotic carcinoma
melanocarcinoma; melanotic carcinoma
melanocarcinoma; melanotic carcinoma
black-and-white paper twine (on condolence offerings)
black-and-white paper twine (on condolence offerings)
squid chopped, salted and mixed in its own ink
black tassel hung above the northwest corner of the ring
smut; bunt; dustbrand
gray bunting (Emberiza variabilis); grey bunting
sooty tern (Onychoprion fuscatus)
dealing in rice speculating on the year's harvest before seedlings are set out
black-backed jackal (carnivore, Canis mesomelas)
blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum)
blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum)
blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum)
white rat; white rat that serves Daikoku (god of wealth)
black body (object that absorbs all electromagnetic radiation)
platinum black (black powdered platinum, often used as a catalyst)
crumbly black topsoil; porous hardened lava
crumbly black topsoil; porous hardened lava
black chestnut (horse coat color)
steel gray (horse coat color); steel grey
yellowfin surgeonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus)
African American Vernacular English; AAVE; Black English; ebonics
kala-azar; black fever; visceral leishmaniasis
blackening solution; (arch.) developing solution
black leprosy
black yak's tail
Aspergillus niger; Aspergillus awamorii; black koji mold
Aspergillus niger; Aspergillus awamorii; black koji mold
Aspergillus niger; Aspergillus awamorii; black koji mold
sake lees with black or brown specks (from oxidation enzymes produced by the yeast)
black stools
darkness; blackness; Kalaratri (Deva)
darkness; blackness; Kalaratri (Deva)
cavolo nero (cultivar of Brassica oleracea acephala); lacinato kale; Tuscan kale; black kale
black-eyed pea; black-eyed bean
insisting one is right even after one has been proven wrong
black registration plate with yellow characters (used for business use light motor vehicles)
crumbly black topsoil (esp. from weathered volcanic ash); loam soil
people are formed by their surroundings; walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble; (lit.) that which is dyed with ink becomes black
mole near the mouth; beauty mark
black crushing; black clipping; loss of dark detail
black turtle bean; black bean
black turtle bean; black bean
black turtle bean; black bean
interesting; amusing; uninteresting; boring
solar lentigo; sun spot; liver spot; lentigo solaris
Black History Month; African-American History Month
schorl; black tourmaline
reducing staff despite being profitable; cutting jobs while in the black
castle construction with high earthen ramparts
black knight; masterless knight (esp. one lacking heraldry)
paradise shelduck (Tadorna variegata); paradise duck; pūtangitangi
Black Dragon Society (1901-1946); Amur River Society; Kokuryūkai
Black Dragon Society (1901-1946); Amur River Society; Kokuryūkai
Kuroi Station (Niigata)
Kuroda Station (Aichi)
Kuroishi Station (Aomori)
Kuromatsu Station
Kurosawa Station (Yokote)
horned dung beetle (Copris ochus)
black-footed albatross (Diomedea nigripes)
black cow-tongue (species of tonguefish, Paraplagusia japonica)
black cow-tongue (species of tonguefish, Paraplagusia japonica)
herring gull (Larus argentatus)
parasitic jaeger; Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus)
American golden plover (Pluvialis dominica)
Eurasian golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
black-tailed godwit (species of sandpiper, Limosa limosa)
northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
black-necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis)
black grouse (Tetrao tetrix); blackcock (male black grouse); greyhen (female black grouse)
Japanese sable (subspecies of sable native to Hokkaido, Martes zibellina brachyura)
Pieris melete (species of cabbage white butterfly)
Bombus ignitus (species of bumblebee)
red-masked and black-masked gods (folk belief of the Yaeyama Islands); harvest festival celebrating these gods (held in the 6th lunar month)
Caulerpa scalpelliformis (species of green alga)
black mustard (Brassica nigra)
Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis var. tuberosa)
Eurasian jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
humpnose big-eye bream (Monotaxis grandoculis); bigeye emperor
silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)
copper shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus); bronze whaler; narrowtooth shark
grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos); gray reef shark; blacktail reef shark
black tree monitor (Varanus beccarii); Beccari's monitor
Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus); northern bluefin tuna
lesser banded hornet (Vespa affinis)
lesser banded hornet (Vespa affinis)
copper shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus, only member of Carcharhinus found mostly at temperate latitudes); bronze whaler; narrowtooth shark
common loon (Gavia immer); great northern diver; great northern loon
Central American cacomistle (Bassariscus sumichrasti)
wild carrot (Daucus carota); Queen Anne's lace
black lemur (Eulemur macaco)
black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata)
masked lapwing (Vanellus miles); masked plover; spur-winged plover
shore dotterel (Thinornis novaeseelandiae); shore plover
cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus); monk vulture; Eurasian black vulture; European black vulture
Kuroiwa's ground gecko (Goniurosaurus kuroiwae); Ryukyu eyelid gecko
Japanese black salamander (Hynobius nigrescens)
blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea var. emphyllocalyx)
kurogane holly (Ilex rotunda)
Hodgson's bat (Myotis formosus); Bartel's myotis
Bothrogonia ferruginea (species of leafhopper)
snake mackerel (Gempylus serpens)
snake mackerel (Gempylus serpens)
snake mackerel (Gempylus serpens)
snake mackerel (Gempylus serpens)
blue trevally (Carangoides ferdau); banded trevally; barred trevally; Ferdau's trevally; Forskaal's jackfish
tall shield orchid (Nervilia aragoana)
purple marshlocks (Comarum palustre); swamp cinquefoil; marsh cinquefoil
western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus); black-faced kangaroo; mallee kangaroo; sooty kangaroo
Pyropia kurogii (species of red algae)
Alaska blueberry (Vaccinium ovalifolium); early blueberry; oval-leaf bilberry; oval-leaf blueberry; oval-leaf huckleberry
jabiru (Jabiru mycteria)
love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena); ragged lady; fennelflower; nigella
love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena); ragged lady; fennelflower; nigella
Caspian gull (Larus cachinnans)
common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus); Asian house gecko
slender-necked sea snake (Hydrophis melanocephalus)
Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca)
African sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
black-headed ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus); Oriental white ibis
black-headed ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus); Oriental white ibis
blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus); common wildebeest; white-bearded gnu; brindled gnu
black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes); American polecat; prairie dog hunter
Examples (194 in total)
That boy's hair is black.
That boy has black hair.
That black one is mine.