1.
darkness; the dark
Deep darkness or absence of light. Can also refer figuratively to a dark, hidden, or unknowable aspect of something.
闇の中を歩く。
I walk in the darkness.
事件の闇は深い。
The dark side of the case runs deep.
夜の闇に紛れて逃げた。
He escaped under cover of the night's darkness.
2.
black market; illicit dealings
Illegal or underground activities, especially buying and selling goods outside legal channels. Used as a prefix to mean "illegal" or "underground."
闇市場で取引された。
It was traded on the black market.
戦後は闇市で食料を手に入れる人が多かった。
After the war, many people obtained food at black markets.
闇バイトに手を出して逮捕された若者が増えている。
More and more young people are being arrested for getting involved in illegal part-time jobs.
SENSE 1 (darkness):
Literal darkness, but also commonly used figuratively for the hidden, corrupt, or unknowable side of things.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS (sense 1):
- 闇の中 (in the darkness)
- 闇に包まれる (to be shrouded in darkness)
- 闇に紛れる (to disappear into the darkness)
- 闇が深い (the darkness runs deep)
SENSE 2 (black market / illicit):
Used as a prefix meaning "illegal" or "underground."
COMMON COMPOUNDS (sense 2):
- 闇市/闘市場 (black market)
- 闇バイト (illegal part-time job — a recent social problem in Japan)
- 闇取引 (illicit dealings)
- 闇金 (slush fund; illicit money)