Word

暗 (àn) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 5

Meaning of 暗

形 xíng adjective

dark

房间里很暗。

fáng jiān lǐ hěn àn

The room is very dark.

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Word breakdown

暗 àn — dark

1 暗示 àn shì — to hint; to suggest; to imply HSK 6
- 暗 hidden, implicit, not directly stated
- 示 to show, to indicate, to convey
Example

他的话暗示我们应该离开。

tā de huà àn shì wǒ men yīng gāi lí kāi

His words hinted that we should leave.
2 黑暗 hēi àn — dark HSK 6
- 黑 black, contributes the concept of blackness and absence of light
- 暗 dim/dark, reinforces and intensifies the darkness meaning
Example

走廊里很黑暗

zǒu láng lǐ hěn hēi àn

The corridor is very dark
3 暗中 àn zhōng — secretly, in secret HSK 7
- 暗 dark, hidden, concealed
- 中 in, within, amid
Example

他暗中帮助了很多人。

tā àn zhōng bāng zhù le hěn duō rén

He secretly helped many people.
4 暗地里 àn dì lǐ — secretly, in secret HSK 7
- 暗 hidden, secret, dark
- 地 place, ground (forms locational phrase with 里)
- 里 inside, within (completes locational phrase)
Example

他暗地里帮助了很多人。

tā àn dì lǐ bāng zhù le hěn duō rén

He secretly helped many people.
5 阴暗 yīn àn — gloomy HSK 7
- 阴 shady, dark, lacking light
- 暗 dim, obscure, intensifying the darkness
Example

走廊里光线阴暗，让人感到不舒服。

zǒu láng lǐ guāng xiàn yīn àn ràng rén gǎn dào bù shū fu

The light in the corridor is gloomy, making people feel uncomfortable.

Structure & writing

1 暗 àn — dark, dim (opposite of 明)

暗 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

1.1 日 rì — the sun

日 is a component in 67 characters

HSK 1

早 zǎo morning 时 shí time; a relatively long period of time during which matter continuously changes or develops 明 míng bright; light (opposite of "dark") 星 xīng stars twinkling in the night sky 昨 zuó yesterday

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晚 wǎn evening; night 间 jiān between; the space where two periods of time or things meet

HSK 2

晴 qíng clear, sunny (of sky or weather; opposite of overcast) 最 zuì most; -est (superlative degree)

HSK 3

冒 mào to rise; to emerge; to come out 复 fù to repeat; to do more than once 旧 jiù old; outdated (opposite of '新') 易 yì easy; not difficult (opposite of 难) 照 zhào (of light) shine on an object

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者 zhě particle after adjectives or verbs indicating a person or thing with that quality or doing that action 阳 yáng yang, one of the two opposing forces in Chinese philosophy (opposite of 阴) 音 yīn sound; pronunciation 香 xiāng fragrant; pleasant-smelling (opposite of 臭)

HSK 4

厚 hòu thick (of a flat object, opposite of 薄) 晨 chén early morning; dawn; sometimes broadly referring to the period from midnight to noon 普 pǔ universal; widespread 景 jǐng situation; circumstance 暂 zàn brief, short in time (opposite of 久)

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暑 shǔ hot, sweltering (opposite of 寒) 暖 nuǎn warm, neither cold nor hot

HSK 5

旦 dàn dawn; early morning 昆 kūn (class.) elder brother 映 yìng to reflect (an image via light) 显 xiǎn visible; obvious; evident 晒 shài （of the sun）to shine on something

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智 zhì wise; intelligent 暗 àn dark, dim (opposite of 明) 暴 bào sudden and violent; fierce and swift 替 tì to replace; to substitute

HSK 6

宴 yàn to host a banquet; to feast together 旬 xún a period of ten days; a month has three such periods: upper, middle, and lower 旱 hàn drought; dry (opposite of 涝) 昂 áng to raise high, to hold up 晕 yūn to faint; to lose consciousness

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晰 xī clear, distinct 晾 liàng to dry clothes in the sun or in a ventilated place 踏 tà to step on; to go to a place in person

HSK 7

嗜 shì to love, to have a particular fondness for 塌 tā to collapse, cave in 捏 niē to pinch (with thumb and fingers) 旨 zhǐ delicious; tasty 旭 xù (lit.) the first rays of the morning sun

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旷 kuàng empty and vast; open and spacious 旺 wàng prosperous; flourishing; (of fire) blazing fiercely 昌 chāng prosperous; flourishing 昏 hūn dusk; twilight 昔 xī the past; former times (opposite of 今) 昧 mèi confused; ignorant 晃 huàng to shake, to sway 晋 jìn to advance, move forward or upward 晓 xiǎo dawn, daybreak 晤 wù to meet, to see (someone) 晶 jīng bright; luminous 暄 xuān (lit.) warm (of sunlight); pleasantly warm 暧 ài (lit.) dim, obscure (of sunlight) 暮 mù dusk, the time of sunset 曙 shǔ dawn; daybreak 曝 bào used in "曝光": ① (photography) exposure of film or photosensitive paper to light; ② (figurative) to expose hidden matters to public 莫 mò (lit.) no one; nothing 蹋 tà to tread on; to step on 隙 xì crack; crevice 鲁 lǔ dull; stupid

1.2 音 yīn — sound; pronunciation

音 is a component in 5 characters

HSK 2

意 yì wish; intention

HSK 4

竟 jìng to end; to finish 章 zhāng a section or chapter of music, poetry, or prose

HSK 5

暗 àn dark, dim (opposite of 明)

HSK 7

韵 yùn harmonious sound

Stroke order