黑 (hēi) - Black — the color black & dark

黑Tone 1

hēi ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

黑 · hēi

Black — the color black;

dark;

secret;

illegal;

sinister;

wicked;

related to darkness or obscurity.

Black — the color blackdarksecret

Usage highlights

Black colorBlack hairBlack marketBlackboardBlack teaBlacklist

Synonyms

  • 暗— dark, dim
  • 乌— black, dark (literary)
  • 玄— black, dark (philosophical/classical)

Antonyms

  • 白— white
  • 亮— bright
  • 明— bright, clear

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The night sky is black (黑色的).
  • He has black hair (黑发).
  • This is a black market (黑市).
  • She bought a black dress (黑裙子).
  • The room was pitch black (漆黑).

Collocations

  • Black color(黑色)
  • Black hair(黑发)
  • Black market(黑市)
  • Blackboard(黑板)
  • Black tea(红茶)
  • Blacklist(黑名单)

Idioms

  • Call white black, call black white(颠倒黑白)
  • Black clouds pressing down on the city(黑云压城城欲摧)
  • From pitch black to daylight(黑天摸地)
  • Black sheep of the family(害群之马)
  • Black-hearted merchant(黑心商人)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, black is one of the five cardinal colors and represents water in the Five Elements theory.
  • Black is associated with the north direction and winter season in Chinese cosmology.
  • In modern usage, 'black' often carries negative connotations when referring to illegal or unethical activities.
  • Black was the official color of clothing in the Qin dynasty.

FAQ