真(ま)っ黒(くろ)

まっくろ
na-adjective, noun
pitch black; jet black
1. pitch black; jet black
Completely black without any other color; extremely dark.
空(そら)が真(ま)っ黒(くろ)な雲(くも)に覆(おお)われた。
The sky was covered with pitch-black clouds.
2. very tanned; sunburned
Having darkened significantly from sun exposure.
夏休(なつやす)みで真(ま)っ黒(くろ)に日焼(ひや)けした。
I got really tanned over summer vacation.
3. totally guilty; clearly corrupt
Colloquial: obviously guilty or corrupt (opposite of 'innocent').
あの政治家(せいじか)は真(ま)っ黒(くろ)だと言(い)われている。
That politician is said to be totally corrupt.

WORD STRUCTURE:
真(ま)っ (emphatic prefix) + 黒(くろ) (black)

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 真(ま)っ黒(くろ)に焦(こ)げる - to burn black
  • 真(ま)っ黒(くろ)な夜空(よぞら) - pitch-black night sky
  • 真(ま)っ黒(くろ)の髪(かみ) - jet-black hair

COLLOQUIAL USAGE:
In colloquial Japanese, 真(ま)っ黒(くろ) (innocent: 白(しろ)) is used to describe someone clearly guilty or corrupt, like the English "guilty as sin."

RELATED:

  • 真(ま)っ白(しろ) - pure white
  • 真(ま)っ暗(くら) - pitch dark

Related Words

Antonym: 真(ま)っ白(しろ) (pure white)
Related: 真(ま)っ暗(くら) (pitch dark)
general
Added 2026.1.20 21:57 · Revised 2026.1.24 23:24
07500/07614_makkuro