ブラック

ぶらっく
noun, no-adjective
exploitative; black (company)
businesscolloquialworkcolor
1. exploitative; abusive (of companies or workplaces)
describes companies or work environments with abusive practices like excessive overtime, harassment, or poor working conditions; from ブラック企業(きぎょう)
あの会社(かいしゃ)ブラックだ
That company is exploitative.
ブラック企業(きぎょう)(はたら)いていた
I used to work at a black company.
I changed jobs from an exploitative workplace.
2. black (color); without additions
the color black; also refers to coffee without milk or sugar
I drink my coffee black.
I bought a black shirt.
This suit only comes in black.

Japanese work culture

ブラック企業(きぎょう) (black company) became a widely used term in the 2000s-2010s to describe companies with:

Related words

  • ブラック企業(きぎょう) - exploitative company
  • ブラックバイト - exploitative part-time job
  • ホワイト企業(きぎょう) - good/ethical company (opposite)

Coffee usage

ブラック for coffee means without milk, sugar, or cream - just plain black coffee.